


My New Life is a Nightmare

by Sombodyalreadytookthis2



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Dreamtale (Undertale), Angst, Angst??, Gender-neutral Reader, Other, Reader is technically gender neutral, Reincarnation, Things go south for a little bit but don’t stay that way, a house catches on fire tho, but due to circumstances they’re referred to as a boy, lgbtq+ reader, not really plot related but it is mentioned, nothing too over the top, there are good times don’t worry, there’s only a minor description of death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:35:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 27,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22421941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sombodyalreadytookthis2/pseuds/Sombodyalreadytookthis2
Summary: The reader dies and comes back as Nightmare. There’s no reason for this, but I wrote it anyway. So have fun trying to protect the balance of the multiverse or whatever.[This is basically if Dreamtale worked like the original UNDERTALE and had different routes, depending on the characters’ choices.You can see it as:Reader = playerNightmare = FriskGoopmare = CharaBut feel free to interpret the story however you want.]
Comments: 135
Kudos: 569





	1. Not the best situation

“My time, is nearly up..”

Ow. Your head hurts.

“My life force is quickly fading...”

Is what you would say if you could feel your head.

“As is the tree’s...”

Actually come to think of it. Why would your head hurt. But uh. More importantly who is this voice. And what is it saying. Something about a tree.

“But I can’t let go, and neither can you...”

Uh hey. Hold up. What’s this all about. You missed a bit of the first part.

“There are people who still need you...”

Need you. Need you for what.

“There are things in this world left unfinished...”

The voice. It sounds almost desperate yet calm. For some reason you find it soothing.

“And there is something you must protect...”

You don’t know why but you have a feeling you’ve lost something. Something important.

“I must go now, but fear not for you will protect each other in the battles you have yet to face...”

Battles. Wait what battles. And the voice is leaving. Aww. Where is it going. You don’t want the voice to leave.

“I know this must be difficult, but be brave and know that I am always with you...”

...

Ever so slowly you can feel your body forming around you. Wait, bodies don’t do that... or do they? Huh, literally none of this makes sense. Well maybe it’d make a little more sense if you could see. Yea, you should.. probably open your eyes then.  
The action proves to be a little more difficult than you thought it’d be, almost as if you weren’t used to it. Which is dumb considering you’ve done it countless times, whatever, maybe your just tired. With a low grunt you open your eyes for what feels like the first time. You must admit, the light blue of the midday sky was not what you were expecting. It was bright but not blinding. The last thing you remember was laying down and seeing this stale piercing light. It wasn’t comfortable. You sit up, almost abruptly compared to the time you took opening your eyes. Hunching over a bit, you shake the fuzz out of your head and look at the view in front of you. Small grassy fields gleam in the sunlight. A tree line well within walking distance provides shade to the fauna that surely lurk nearby.  
It’s beautiful. ... almost too beautiful. Something feels off but you can’t quite put your finger on it. Thinking this, you absentmindedly raise your hand to make a thinking gesture, only for the sight of it to stop you.

Bone. Why is your hand bone? Why is your hand bone?!?!?!? You jerk it away in alarm while bringing the other one up as well. Oh god. Where’s your skin and-and other stuff human’s need to live?? You’re scared to check, but you don’t think it’s just your hands that are like this. Why? What were you doing before this? How did this- the light. You were laying down and there was a light and then- then the light was gone and all you could hear was that voice. Arg, no! Before that! What happened before that?!

You close your eyes and think. It- it was a Saturday. You were- damn it! What were you- driving! It was Saturday and you were driving! Driving to pay- no, to get a gift for... someone. Who though? And what for? No no, that’s not important. It was Saturday and you were driving to get someone a gift. The road it.. it was a bit more.. icy than the radio said it would be when you left. You went to put your foot on the brake, but apparently you put it down a little too fast. The next thing you knew your vehicle started sliding sideways. It- it went over into the ditch. The last thing you saw was the vehicle starting to flip before your head smashed against the window. After that it’s just flashes. Someone cautiously pulling you from the wreckage. Getting put on a stretcher. People you don’t know trying to keep you from bleeding out. The unyielding pain in your head. That horrid, unnatural white light. And then... then nothing  
There was just nothing, and then that voice, and then you were here.

You’re dead.  
Oh god. You’re dead!

So caught up in your thoughts, you don’t notice the strange sounds coming from behind you.

You’re dead, and now you’re a zombie skeleton stuck in the afterlife! Sure, at least it’s not hellfire and brimstone, but still!

The strange noises dissipate leaving behind a silent figure.

Oh lord, you hope you didn’t have any unfinished business. That would be... awkward. Like, ‘oh hey dear family members who believed I had passed on, remember that one time you were all discussing the fact that there is always a gay cousin, but then decided that there wasn’t a gay cousin in the family. There was. It was me, I’m the gay cousin’. Yea, well at least if that’s the case your already dead so really what’s to lose.

The figure ever so slowly rises. Taking in the world around them, the figure eventually spots you where you sit, still oblivious to your surroundings. Standing a bit straighter, they begin to make their way towards you.

What are you even supposed to do now? You were never really clear on how the afterlife would work. Was it like Walmart? Did someone greet you on the way in? Was this grassy hill the waiting room? Did you get to ‘respawn’?-

Hand... on your shoulder..

N O P E

You stand up so fast you think you may have just discovered a new color. Twisting around and stumbling a few steps back you come face to face with-

“Hi there! I’m Dream, though I guess you already know that. It’s so great to see you brother!”

...

What


	2. Maybe it won’t be that bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to sort yourself out.

Nothing’s registering anymore. Dream’s been talking your non-existent ear off for a solid thirty minutes, and you’ve only absorbed a small fraction of what he’s talking about. It’s all mostly been about the tree you two have been staring at for the duration of his speech. You, however, have been furiously dissociating this whole time. You’re so far away from here, you’re practically in the stratosphere right now about to do an acrobatic pirouette into the god forsaken nothingness of space.

You just- you just can’t believe it. This has got to be some kind of psychosis induced hallucination. That or the car crash you were in put you in a coma. ... yea that last one seems more likely. You did hit your head after all. .. But still, something in you just couldn’t let go of the fact that- this IS real. That somehow after you died your ‘soul’ or whatever got sent to a different dimension, where Dreamtale and all that other weird stuff is real, and SOMEHOW you ended up getting brought back as Nightmare of all people. So to sum everything up nothing makes sense, reality is a lie, multiverse theory is true, and Dream is still talking.

“-what she was like, don’t you?”, with that he turns to you with a face full of kindness and curiosity. Wha- oh great. You start listening just in time to get caught for not listening. Just your luck. 

“Uh-um-“, oh sweet lord Aristotle, is that what you sound like now?? Maybe it’s because you’ve ‘technically’ never talked before, but your voice was -cracked-. Like swallowed SAND kind of cracked. Coughing roughly into the crook of your elbow, you blearily glance back at Dream to ask if he can repeat himself. Before you can say anything, however, he’s already at your side, hand hovering over your back and giving you a concerned frown. 

“Oh stars, are you alright? Do- do you need something to clear your throat?”.

“N-no, I’m.. fine. I’m just not used to talking I guess”, you give him a small smile and rub the back of your neck out of habit. You totally don’t flip your gumdrops over the fact you can feel your own spine.

“Oh! Hehe yea, I suppose talking is a bit new”, he seems.. excited, like real world problems don’t exist and he’s got his whole immortal life ahead of him. To be fair, that is kinda the truth. 

“Um, you uh asked me a question before I started hacking up my own rib cage...”, you almost said lung. He startles a bit, seeming to process your words before-

“Ri- rib cage!?! I thought you said you were ok??”, wait what- oh. You’re the first person he’s ever interacted with. Of course he’s going to take it literally.

“No no no- I mean, yes I’m ok, the rib cage bit was just a figure of speech”.

“Huh?”.

“It wasn’t meant to be taken literally, it’s.. an overreaction meant to..”, Ugh words “make light of a situation, like metaphorical humor”. 

“I... don’t think I quite get it, but as long as you’re ok”, his worried expression is quickly washed away by a peppy smile and delighted hum. “As for the question”, he folds his hands over each other before turning back towards the tree. “I was just wondering what our predecessor was like and, well, wondered if you wanted to take a guess”. What was Nim like? Then a thought hit you.

“Hey Dream”, he turns back to signal that he’s listening. “Did you happen to hear a voice before you woke up, you know, a really soothing one?”. He squints a little before his eyes light up in recognition.

“Hey, yeah! I did! Do you think it was them?”

“If I recall, they were talking about protecting the tree, so it must have been”.

“I see, I wish we were given more time with them”.

“The feeling’s mutual...”, there’s a lot you wish you could’ve asked. Nim could have the answers to your situation, that is, if any of this is actually real. Your eyes roam up the trunk of the tree. Not gonna lie you didn’t expect it to be this big. Curiously your gaze trails up the twisting branches on the left. Shimmering golden fruit stands out against the leaves; they’re impossible to miss, especially with the sun setting behind you. Shifting your attention to the other side, you almost miss the dots of inky black scattered across the right. They’re so dark they could easily pass for hollow patches in the leaves. Damn it, your super curious now. Walking closer towards the tree you spot a low hanging branch. You hear footsteps behind you, Dream must be curious too. Once he catches up both of you glance at each other before looking back at the branch. Hanging innocently near the end is a solid black apple, a faint blue sheen stretches across the surface. As the sun set reflected in its inky pools, you could’ve sworn you saw the stars. 

“It’s beautiful”, you turn to face Dream, expecting he’d be looking at the sun disappearing behind you. But nope, he’s still looking at the apple.

“Heh yeah, makes me wish I could touch it and leave it alone at the same time”.

“Heh heh touch it then, I dare you!”, you look at Dream and sputter but he just keeps looking at you with a teasing grin. “Go ahead! They are your apples”, his grin becomes more encouraging. ‘Your apples’, oh geez you nearly forgot about that. Technically you’re Nightmare now so yea, you should be able to touch the apples, the black ones at least. Welp, might as well go along with this weird coma induced dream. Tentatively you reach up and tap the fruit with a single digit. 

The world around you appears gray and murky. You feel cold but the air that surrounds you is still. For a moment all is silent and numbness consumes you. Tap, tap, tap. It sounds like rain drops finding their way to the ground after the sky has already cleared. Then you feel it, this creeping sensation one tends to bottle up. It’s a melancholy monster the way it slithers into your heart and fills it with GRIEF. You can hear the noise more clearly now. The dripping is accompanied by the mournful cries of a woman. It’s so loud you back away from the fruit and look around. Dream looks at you curiously; you are the only two there.

“What happened? You got this really intense look on your face”, Dream puffs up his cheeks and crosses his eyes. You promptly burst into a fit of laughter, previous mood already forgotten. How can his cheeks get that big when he’s made out of bone?? It’s so ridiculous you can’t help but laugh at this worlds lack of logic... or Dream’s funny face. Dream giggles too before you decide too answer his question.

“Pfft heh, the- snrk- the world kinda changed.. “

“Changed?”

“Yea, it was weird, like I was experiencing something that wasn’t happening”

“Oh! What did you see??”, Dream gets a little closer eye lights taking the form of ‘stars?’. Huh, wonder if yours can do that.

“I didn’t really see anything, the experience was.. more through what I could hear and feel”

“Feel?”

“Yea like emot-.. emotions!”, Dream starts a little at your exclamation. You can’t believe you forgot. The apples were literally representations of all the emotions in the multiverse, or something like that. The black apples held all of the negative emotions. What you just experienced must have been some other persons feelings. From what you gathered, it was most likely a woman in mourning. You focus on Dream again to explain yourself but decide against it. Instead you grab his hand and lead him over to the other side of the tree. “Here, it’ll be easier if you see for yourself”, stopping in front of another low hanging branch, this time sporting a bright golden apple, you let go of Dream’s hand and gesture towards it. Hesitating for a mere second, he taps the apple in the same fashion you did. Dream goes completely still, his eyes get wider, and his smile only grows. A few seconds later he pulls away and shakes his head before turning towards you.

“You were right! The world really did change! Everything got brighter and I could hear music and laughter!”, he’s practically jumping in place. You smile.

“It sounds like fun”

“It was! Oh! I’m gonna go see what the other ones are like!”, with a bounce in his step you watch as Dream hunts down more of the apples. You find yourself content to just sit down and lean against the bottom of the tree. This should give you time to think about your.. situation. You look at your hands again. Yep, still bone. At least your wearing clothes. You don’t even want to think about what you would’ve done if your rib cage was the first thing you saw. Enough of that though. Right now you need to focus on everything you know about Dreamtale. Hmm, well there’s the main stuff. Nightmare and Dream protect the tree of feelings. There are actually three trees, but that’s not important right now. Then the villagers end up making the twin’s life a living hell. Nightmare ends up eating the apples to defend himself, but just ends up corrupting himself. Everyone suffers. The end. ...

Well.. sort of, you just stopped there because first of all, you don’t plan on corrupting yourself.. cause that would be dumb. You already know what happens when you eat the apples so like hell you’re actually going to do it?!? That and you don’t think they’d taste all that great. So yea, first order of business: don’t be dumb and eat the apples.. or touch Dream’s apples. If you remember correctly, Nightmare corrupted one of the golden apples by accident which in turn pissed off the villagers. So basically look don’t touch. Alright, is there anything else? Oh! Magic! Magic is real! Ok, so far the agenda is:  
* don’t eat the apples  
* Don’t touch Dream’s apples  
* Protect the tree  
* And figure out how to use magic  
Yep that’s one good looking agenda if you do say so yourself. Yea, totally not missing anyth- 

“Brother! Brother look!”, you quickly snap your head up to see what the fuss is. There’s Dream pointing furiously at one of the apples, big smile on his face and everything. “This one had people singing!”.

“That’s great Dream”, he nods at you and then runs up to another apple. That’s right.. Dream’s here. Huh. Supposedly he ends up having a hard time because of the villagers too. They end up putting too much on his shoulders and used him for personal gain. Yea.., that’s not happening.

New agenda:  
* don’t eat the apples  
* Don’t touch Dream’s apples  
* Protect the tree  
* Figure out how to use magic

* And be a decent sibling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope I didn’t make Dream seem like a gullible idiot. It’s just that everything’s new to him right now. That and I see him as the type to take things at face value, but he’ll definitely grow past this later


	3. Not a Chapter Update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A friend of mine made these and gave me permission to use them!  
> *\\(^o^)/*  
> I had to make a tumblr account since putting them on here the right way wasn’t working
> 
> Note: this tumblr is not active. I’m just using it for the pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember! These are not mine, a friend just gave me permission to use them!
> 
> Dream’s design doesn’t change much from the original, but Nightmare’s (the reader’s) does
> 
> Also, potential spoilers???

https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190534008734

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If the link doesn’t show up you should just be able to copy and paste it into a web browser


	4. Just your Average Sunny Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not a very long chapter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway!

“On your mark”

“Get set”

...

“Go!!”

The both of you take off through the field. Naturally, you take the lead with Dream trailing behind you. Your foot falls are surprisingly quiet with how thick the grass is. The half way point is usually where Dream catches up and gains the lead, but like hell you’re losing four times in a row. With an extra burst of energy, you run up the hill and touch the tree.

“I win!”

Dream stumbles up next to the tree and mimics you. It takes only a second for him to regain his stamina.

“S-still four to one”

“Oh sod off”

You and Dream lean against the tree, laughing like you didn’t just run a quarter mile through a grassy field. It’s been a few days since you’ve arrived here. Not much has happened. Though you did figure out how to summon your weapons not too long ago. You had just been telling Dream a story one night when the two of you sensed a presence approaching the tree. The reaction had been instantaneous. Suddenly there was a scythe in your hands and some kind of spear/staff in Dream’s. With how much it startled the both of you, the squirrel that was wondering near the tree must have had a heart attack. Dismissing the initial scare, the weapons themselves looked pretty cool. The staff part of Dream’s weapon matches the color of his shirt, but it’s a bit longer than what you’d thought it be. The thing’s practically as tall as he is. Yellow stars sit on both ends, though one is obviously much bigger and sharper than the other.  
You’re pretty stoked to have a weapon of your own. It’s not difficult to summon; you just have to hold your hand out and think about it. While Dream’s weapon is obviously star themed, yours must be moon themed. At least that’s what you’re guessing. The light purple, metallic blade reminds you of a crescent moon.

Other than the weapons, everything else has been quiet. You and Dream play games and tell stories, though Dream insists you tell the stories. He says you’re good at story telling. Honestly, you’ve just been telling him stories that most kids hear like princess and the frog, Cinderella, and little red riding hood. You.. steered clear of the more Grim versions of those fairytales. 

“Wanna play something else now?”

“What, scared I’ll win a second time?”

“Pssh! Hardly”

“Haha, actually I was thinking we could do something else”, it’d been weighing on your mind for days now. Dream looks at you curiously as both of you sit down.

“Something else? Like what?”

You lift up your hands and wiggle your fingers in his direction, “magiiiiiic~”.

He pauses before giving a thoughtful expression, “but.. we don’t know the first thing about magic..”.

You lean forward and squish his face between your hands, “oh.. we’re finna”.

“Finna wot, can ou ge or hanth off meh fathe”

“Sorry Dream, I can’t understand you when your face is squished like this”

“Or the on thquithing muh fathe!”

“Hahaha!”  
While you’re distracted, Dream grabs your hands and pushes them back towards you.  
“Ah haha-Ha! Oh my stars you sounded ridiculous”  
You’re wheezing now, but Dream looks as though you’ve insulted his honor. ...But then you snort so loud that both of you start laughing.  
Damn infectious laughter.

“Um.. how are we going to do this? I mean.. where do we start?..”

“Hmmm..”  
You look down at your hands, hoping they’ll give you the answers. Maybe if you concentrate? Oh what the heck, it can’t hurt. Closing your eyes, you try to focus like you’ve seen people in old Kung fu movies and anime do. There’s.. something there. You’re not sure what it is or how to reach it, but maybe if you focus just a bit more. You clear your mind and concentrate solely on what you’re feeling.

“Whoah!”, Dream’s gasp of astonishment has you opening your eyes. Looking at your hands you see how they’re now glowing purple.

“Whoah”

“I know! That’s what I said!”

“It.. kinda looks like fire”

“Does it burn?”

“No, it’s actually kind of cold”

“Oh”  
You both just sit there for awhile looking at your hands, before Dream asks you to show him how you did it.

“Well, I didn’t do much really”, you rub the back of your neck and look off to the side. “You just gotta clear your head and concentrate”.

Dream nods and closes his eyes. Nothing happens for awhile, but then a light starts to radiate off of his hands.

“Dream, Dream look”

“Wha- oh!”, if you thought yours looked like fire then Dream’s definitely does. The light yellow surrounds his hands with constant motion. “It’s warm..”, he trails off still gazing at the magic flames in wonder. You’re surprised that it was this easy. Then again, it’s not like the magic is really doing anything; it’s just sort of here now. So summoning magic is probably the easy part, getting it to do stuff is most likely going to be difficult.

.

You and Dream proceeded to flap your arms and run around the tree like idiots for the rest of the day. Your conclusion was right. Without proper direction it’s damn near impossible to control magic. Well at least you can make your hands glow; it’s certainly more than you could do in your past life. Still, you’d like to be more prepared for future events. You still don’t know when the village is going to come into the picture. Apparently the apple incident happens when Dream and Nightmare are only six. It is six right? If that’s the case then you don’t have very long. Hopefully, if you can just play your roll, the whole thing will blow over and everyone will be none the wiser. 

“Psst, Night”

“Mmrnn”

“I know you’re not asleep”

“...”

“Nightmare”

“Zzzzzz”

“Brother!”

“‘Siiigh’ fine what is it”

“.. can you tell me a story?”

“Another one?”

“Pleeeaase? You always tell the best stories”

“Alright alright, let me think..”

“...”

“Do you remember when you climbed the tree a few nights ago, so you could catch a star”

“Oh gosh don’t remind me..”

“Hehe- what if I told you that there are worlds so close to the stars, that you could touch one just by jumping”

“If you said that.. then I’d tell you to take me there!”

“.. maybe someday”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt like it would make sense if Nightmare and Dream were created with a basic understanding of the world around them, and I mean very basic.
> 
> Like, Dream knows what magic is and he knows that it exists. He just lacks the proper knowledge and experience that would allow him to use it... at least for now
> 
> Here’s what the weapons look like for reference:
> 
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190537164349


	5. Trouble’s coming to Town

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone has problematic neighbors. Just because you live in a mystical tree of destiny, doesn’t make you an exception.

Clear streams cascade into the crystal water below. Man, the waterfall sure is stunning in the middle of the day. Alright, scratch that it’s stunning no matter what time it is. You stand off to the side of the pool, having just kicked your boots off. Next to go is your black cape and pants. Now you’re just struggling with your shirt, damn thing. Despite being a literal skeleton, you decide to leave your underwear on, more out of habit than anything else. You run towards the edge of the water- before immediately stopping. Quickly, you dash back over to your somewhat neatly stacked clothes, remove the circle of gold from your head, and carefully put it on top. You don’t know if the thing can rust, but you’re not about to find out. With that taken care of, you run back over towards the edge and dive in. ... and by ‘dive in’ what you really did was belly flop.. hard, and then proceed to lay face down in the water.

... ow  
At least no one was around to see that. You float a little bit before turning over and looking at the sky. It’s a nice sunny day like usual, birds singing, wild flowers blooming. Dream’s still at the tree. He said he’d be fine on his own while you went for a swim. You figure he’s right; it’s been nearly a year and you haven’t seen anybody. Still, the thought of some wakadoodle apple thief attacking while you’re gone makes you nervous. You flip back over before paddling towards a smooth, sun dried stone and resting your arms on top of it. Huh, you’ve been here for almost a year. That whole thing about you being in a coma is starting to seem both fairly probable and highly unlikely. That’s to say, you have no idea what being in a coma is supposed to be like. Do people usually end up living the life of someone who doesn’t even exist. Also, if this is normal, which it totally isn’t, why Nightmare? He’s not even from the actual game. You’d figure it’d be more understandable to end up as Undyne or something. Who knows, maybe you’re Nightmare now for no apparent reason, or maybe you’re just a huge nerd stuck in a coma. You let out a huge sigh and push away from the rocks. 

.

After re-enacting a scene from the Titanic with some pebbles and a stick, you decide you’ve wasted enough time. You’ve just finished putting your boots back on when you feel it, that familiar tremor. Something’s approaching the tree. Without another thought you grab your moon crested circlet and take off through the woods. Thankfully the waterfall isn’t too far from the tree, otherwise you wouldn’t have risked it. You place the circlet on your head before raising the hood of your cape. Hopefully Dream’s alright; it doesn’t feel like it’s gotten to the tree yet. In a matter of seconds you’re out of the woods and sprinting across a field. Please just be another squirrel, please just be another squirrel, please ju-.

“Nightmare!”  
You skid to a stop in front of the tree just shy of bulldozing Dream into the ground. 

“Please tell me it’s just another squirrel”, you’re breathing hard but not outright choking. Good thing you and Dream decided to have those racing contests. 

Dream shakes his head before pointing towards the distance, “pretty sure squirrels don’t look like that”. 

You’re gaze follows the direction he’s pointing, only to see- wait, what is that? You squint a little at what looks like a group of colorful dots. It’s still too far away to tell, but it’s definitely getting closer.   
“What in the world is that?”

Dream gives your rhetorical question a quick shrug. The two of you wait in anticipation. The dots slowly begin to take shape. For a second it looks like they’ve stopped. You think you can make out some sort of wagon or something. The top’s covered with colorful fabric. There’s only about three of them in total. You can’t really tell what’s pulling them though. You’d guess horses but they look a little different than that. Although, you might not have to guess for long considering that three of them are heading this way. Out of caution you summon your scythe; Dream gives you a quick look.

“It’s just a precaution”  
He nods before summoning his weapon as well. It’s not long after, when three horses and their riders arrive at the bottom of the short hill. You were right they are horses, just not any kind that you recognize. As the riders dismount you and Dream make your way towards them. The one in the middle with the light grey stallion approaches you first. He removes the hood of his cloak to reveal- scales?! Oh. Right. Monsters... you forgot. The only other living creatures you’ve seen or interacted with so far have been squirrels, birds, and Dream so this whole situation is giving you whiplash. The orange, scaled monster stops a little in front of you before bowing his head slightly. You and Dream give each other a look. Should... should you bow back?? You shrug at him before removing your hood and bowing back. Ugh, all this social interaction is starting to make you feel awkward. You see Dream repeating the action out of the corner of your eye. With all of that out of the way, the guy in front of you places a hand on his chest as his tail swishes behind him. 

“Good day fair people of this land. My name is Jamal. Me and our faithful caravan are but weary travelers in search of a new home. We have traveled for many days through harsh environment with no sign clean water. Yet surely with fields as prosperous there must be water nearby. And should it not be ok that we settle here, I ask only that we be shown towards a fresh spring”. 

It takes you a second to fully understand what he said. The way he worded it was.. kinda weird but you think you got it. Dream looks over at you before turning to speak to Jamal. 

“Good day to you as well. My name is Dream and this is my brother Nightmare. If it is water you seek, than I am sure we can help”, he smiles up at the other monster in wait for a reply. However, the other looks too stunned to answer, as though he’s just realized something. Luckily, the one on his right decides to speak up. A bunny monster a little shorter than Jamal yet more muscular walks forward. Her eyes are sharp as she glances at the tree behind you and then returns her gaze towards the two of you.

“Forgive us if we seem unwise, but is that perhaps the fated Tree of Feelings?”, she stands next to Jamal, quietly look you over.

“Why, yes it is”, Dream beams a little at the question. The monsters in front of you merely freeze in surprise.

“So the legends were true”, everyone turns to see the third rider. He is obviously much older than the other two, and his features while not scaled show him to be amphibious. While the other two tower over you and Dream, this old man’s about the same height as you. He’s bluish-grey in color with streaks of red accenting his face. The desaturated teal of his cloak is outlined with a yellow trim and covered in blue and white sashes. In his right hand sits a wooden staff with a blue gem embedded in the top. 

“Elder Laufey-“, Jamal goes to speak but remains silent after the old man raises his hand. Elder Laufey turns towards you and Dream before speaking once more.

“If that tree is indeed the one from fated legends than I must assume that would make you two the noble Dryads that watch over it”

“Yes, me and my brother are the guardians of this tree”, everyone looks at you now. What? You were getting tired of not saying anything. That and the way they talk is driving you insane. Like not everyone knows what Dryad means, just say ‘tree people’. You step forward a little. This conversation totally got off track. “You said earlier that you needed water”, the elder nods at your statement. “If that is so than me or Dream here can lead you to a waterfall not too far from here”. 

“Oh I know where it is, I can take them”, you look over at Dream. He’s practically glowing. What in the cosmos has him so excited?

“Are you sure?”

“Yep! Don’t worry I can handle it”, you sigh before relenting.

“Alright, in that case I’ll stay here with the tree until you return”

He gives a delighted hum and disperses his weapon. Motioning for the others to follow him, Dream makes his way towards the tree line. One by one you watch them until they’re all out of sight. Once they are you let out the biggest sigh ever. You already know what this is leading to. In all honesty, you didn’t expect the village to show up until much later. It’s fine as long as you remember what not to do. Yea everything should be fine. Who knows, maybe they’re just passing through.

.

They’re not just passing through as it turns out. You sit silently next to Dream at the base of the tree as the both of you look out over a sea of tents in the distance. You could probably try to get them to leave. Though more than likely that would just make you look like a jerk. Oh well. At least Dream seems happy about all this. You just have to make sure they don’t take advantage of his kindness. Speaking of Dream, you’re so caught up in your thoughts you barely notice when he says something.

“Huh? What’d ya say?”

“Hehe, you were thinking to hard again weren’t you?”, you grumble a little and give a super dramatic pouty face. “Haha! Heh, I said, that’s the first time you called me brother”.

..what?- oh! That’s right you did. Wait, have you really not called him ‘brother’ once? Huh, you guess you haven’t. Come to think of it, Dream’s been calling you brother all the time. Maybe you just haven’t thought about it since there’s been so much more for you to think about. In between possibly being in a coma to dealing with your fate, you haven’t fully contemplated the fact that you and Dream are, technically, brothers now. 

“Huh, I guess it is”

You decide that’s not a bad thing at all.   
There are certainly worser fates to be stuck with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my friend designed Elder Laufey for me:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190571003824


	6. Public Enemy Number One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It’s been about a year and things seem to be going great! Right? I didn’t miss something did I?

It didn’t take the caravan very long to turn into a small village. Using trees from the woods nearby they were able to make descent cottages. They also set up small businesses and a market place. You’d say it was impossible, but is anything really impossible through the use of magic? Speaking of which, quite a few of the locals happen to be well acquainted with water magic as it turns out. This also helped to set up a pretty good water system for the village. At least, that’s what Dream tells you. He’s been going out to help the builders with anything he can. Of course, you’re not stupid. This is one of the things you have to look out for. Sometimes you have to put your foot down and tell him he has to help you guard the tree. Which is way harder than it sounds. Stars knows Dream has a puppy dog face that could kill a man with guilt. That’s not the only thing that’s made it difficult, unfortunately. Sometimes a few of them come up to the tree to ask if Dream can come help. This.. pisses you off. Like. If he was going to help today, then he would have showed up today BETHANY. As far as you’re concerned, Dream doesn’t owe them squat. The only reason he’s been helping them so far has been out of the kindness of his own heart. That being said you still don’t let him go when they come looking for him. Instead you tell them some baloney about how Dream needs to tend to the golden apples to protect the sanctity of yada yada yada. Knowing Dream won’t be satisfied until help is given to everyone in the universe, you offered to lend a hand while he stayed at the tree. This didn’t happen to much while the village was being built, but every time it did you could practically feel uneasy vibes coming off the other monsters. The first few times you went out and helped with stuff, the people didn’t seem to know how to act around you. Eventually they just started avoiding you altogether. However, by the time everything was finished you couldn’t mistake the glares and cold shoulders. You honestly don’t know what brought on the sudden animosity; then again it’s not like it wasn’t expected. Now you can’t even go for an evening stroll without getting about a million looks of disgust. You can handle it though. At least they haven’t physically attacked you... at least, not until today that is.

You were just minding your business, walking back to the tree from the small library that sat close towards the market. Turns out one of the wagons traveling with the caravan had belonged to a librarian. Since things like cell phones and the internet don’t exist in this world, you’ve been forced to find other methods of entertainment, namely books. You mostly read old tombs about this worlds magic system and customs. You’ve found out quite a bit by reading. You even figured out how to use your inventory! That’s right. You have an inventory. Dream got pretty excited when you explained it to him. You literally have to stop him from shoving random junk in it every chance he gets. No seriously, he’s practically got a monopoly on leaves at this point. What, he thinks they look pretty. You on the other hand only carry a single book in yours as you pass by freshly cobbled streets. Luckily for you there doesn’t seem to be anyone out at the moment... is a thought that’s ruined the moment a hand grasps the front of your shirt and pulls you behind a building. You grunt in surprise as you’re roughly shoved against the wall. What the hell.

“What the hell??”

“Oh look it talks”

A snicker can be heard over the shoulder of your assailant. You barely pay it any attention, however, being more focused on trying to dislodge the fist that’s tangling up the front of your clothes. Man, the feeling of something literally grinding your bones into a wall is definitely one of the most unpleasant things you’ve ever experienced.

“Hey, look at me ya freak!”

There’s no other warning before you’re pulled forward and slammed back against the wall. This time you hit your head so hard your vision goes blurry. Is this really happening. You look up only to see two of the same figure. Everything’s spinning. You feel like you’re gonna hurl.

“Tch, this is what that old man warned us about? Some weak little freak who can’t even fight back? Pathetic.”

Asshole. You’re not weak, they just caught you off guard. Your vision’s still a little blurry and your eyes are starting to water, but you can slightly make out the figure in front of you. Thick grey fur, a brown leather jacket, and green eyes. You don’t know who they are and you don’t care. Like hell you’re just gonna sit here and take this. Gripping their fist tight, you glare up at them and grind your teeth.

“Put. Me. Down.”

They laugh and look back.

“He wants me to put him down Diggs. What you think? Should I give him what he wants?” 

The voice is teasing and crude. The one that answers isn’t much better.

“Looks like he’s feeling tough all of a sudden. I say give it to him.”

You’re then roughly thrown towards the ground; you barely manage to catch the fall with your hands before you literally eat dirt. Even then it still hurts when your body makes impact. You cough as grimy dust puffs up around you. The two monsters laugh as they slowly approach. You move to get up but you’re not fast enough. Your arms collapse and your face hits the ground as a heavy boot is crammed into the back of your spine. The laughter gets louder than it was before. It’s a broken laughter, one that sounds like rocks going through a blender or crows fighting off a pack of hyenas. You know it’s cliche, but you can’t help but ask. You could never picture yourself in their position. The laughter dies out as the monster who’s not holding you down crouches in front of you. It’s a different guy, the one you couldn’t see before. His clothes are plain and his fur is a dark brown, there’s a small scar running across the top of his nose. It’s hard to talk with a boot firmly planted in the back of your ribs, but you do anyway.

“Why?. Why are you doing this? Why would anyone do this??”

“Hah! A better question is why haven’t we done this sooner? You are the reason people like us suffer. You stand next to that tree and protect those disgusting cursed apples, and have the guts to call yourself a guardian. I only see one guardian, and it isn’t you. The truth is, the world would be a lot better off without a freak. Like. You.”

You feel the boot lifting off of your back before a sudden explosion of pain erupts in your side.

“Hnkg!”

Laying on your other side, you wrap your arms around your lower abdomen and clench your eyes shut.

“Heh, some guardian, can’t even protect yourself!”

This time it’s your arms that take the brunt of the attack. Again and again and againandagainandagai-  
It doesn’t stop. You try to get away and the pain just follows you. You try to curl in on yourself even more and it does nothing. You call out for help...

...

But nobody came.

.

You don’t notice when it stops. The pain still lingers after the two monsters have left. Even when you realize you’re alone, all you can do is lie on the ground and wait for the stinging and numbness to go away. Slowly the sharp pangs turn dull, though the aching doesn’t stop. Trying not to hurt yourself even more, you cautiously turn over and attempt to prop yourself up with your arms. Ow. Your arms protest against the sudden exertion; you almost fall back over from how wobbly they are. No. Not wobbly, shaky. Your arms are shaking. Actually, now that you can focus more clearly, your whole body’s shaking. Damn. With your movements being so jerky and uncoordinated it makes it difficult to move cautiously. You press against the ground, lift with your legs, and lean back. To fast. You stumble before crashing against the wall behind you. Owww... Groaning, you press your hand against the wall and catch your breath. What the hell. Just how much damage did you take? Well it’s a damn good thing you learned how to *check.

*Nightmare - ATK 19 DEF 25

*LV 1 

*EXP 0

*HP 40/100

Oh... damn it. Using the wall for leverage, you stumble your way back towards the street. There’s no way you’re hiding the fact that over half of your HP is gone. Looking around the corner reveals that nobody’s around. Then again it is getting late. The only question is, what are you going to tell Dream? How do you come up with an excuse for losing this much health? Dream might be a little gullible at times but he’s not an idiot. You can’t just tell him you fell down some stairs or walked in front of a door while someone was opening it. Really? A minor incident cost you 60 HP? A likely story. With a long dreadful sigh, you slowly trudge down the cobbled road back to the tree. 

.

“There you are! I was starting to get worried. What took you so long? I thought you were just going to the library.”

Not even two yards from the tree and already you’re getting hounded. You scrunch your face a little and stifle a yelp. Ugh, everything still hurts. You’d probably kill for a high thread count mattress right about now... or any place to lie down really. But as Dream gets closer you know that’s not gonna happen. 

“Uh, Night? Are you ok?”

Here it comes.

*check

A sharp gasp and- “what happened?!”  
He takes you by the arms and carefully maneuvers you to sit down by the tree.

“W-well”—

“How do you only have 47 HP??”

47? Didn’t you only have 40? Dream goes silent as he gently checks you for injuries. 

“Um well, heheh, crazy story actually-“

You swallow the build up in your throat like you’re swallowing the truth as Dream turns his focus back to you.

“I went to the library and as I was just minding my own business one of the shelves just.. decided to fall over.. on top of me.. books and all...” 

“... a book shelf”

“It certainly caused quite the commotion..”

...

“Good grief!”

Crap. Did he catch your lie??

“How did you make it all the way here with this?!?”

Huh? With what?  
You look down to see what he’s talking about. There’s Dream sitting in front of you, holding your left arm with the sleeve rolled up and- and a crack running from your elbow to your wrist. ...

“I.. use my legs to walk??”

The glare you receive for that actually makes you shrink a little.

“This isn’t funny! You’re seriously hurt.”

You thought your joke was a little funny.

Dream sighs before going back to inspecting your arm. He frowns and looks over the crack with growing intensity. He doesn’t like seeing you hurt. He doesn’t like seeing anyone hurt, but you more than anyone else shouldn’t be going through this. Carefully, he adjusts your arm so he can hold it with both hands. If only he could make the pain go away. Dream closes his eyes. He doesn’t want to look at your arm anymore. He wishes the wound would just.. disappear.

...

It’s warm.

Your arm feels warm. It’s like sitting by a fireplace on a rainy day. Your body grows heavy as all your problems wash away and dry up. With droopy eyes you look back down at your arm and hold your breath. The crack. It’s shrinking. 

Dream’s hands are glowing. But the light is different now. It’s still a light yellow, but where it was once sporadic it is now soft and still. The light gently seeps into your arm and mends the crack. You can feel your HP rising as your pain fades away. 

“Dream.. how are you..”

Healing magic. He’s healing you. But when did he learn how to..

“How am I what?”

Dream blinks a little before his eyes fly wide open. You’re both too stunned to say much else as you continue to watch your wound slowly but surely heal. You look up from your arm to see Dream and smile. 

At least one good thing came out of today.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader: *draws uno card*
> 
> Uno card: tell Dream the truth or draw 25 cards
> 
> Reader holding 25+ uno cards: your move
> 
> Also, reader isn’t slick. Dream was definitely finna call bull had it not been for your busted up arm


	7. The One Good Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Dream spend the day together!

Dream wasn’t able to fully heal you, unfortunately. Though he was able to get your HP back up to 79. It’s pretty impressive considering he’s never healed someone before. After the magic slowly faded, Dream told you to wait at the tree while he went and got something to help. You definitely don’t have a problem with this; the events of the day have left you completely drained. As Dream heads into the village you decide to use what little energy you have left to climb up the tree. There are both upsides and downsides when it comes to just how massive the tree is. The downside is that it’s ridiculous height makes it difficult to scale. The upside is that it’s size allows for a comfortable spot to rest where the branches meet. It’s sort of like a secret cubby, with how the sturdy branches and soft leaves shelter it. Of course, you could be exaggerating a bit when it comes to the size considering how small you are now. With a grunt you pull yourself in between the branches. It’s kinda surprising how flat and smooth the surface is. Had this tree not been tasked with keeping the balance of the multiverse in check it would have made one hell of a tree house. Crossing your legs and finding a comfy spot, you delicately remove your black cape before bundling it up. You scoot back closer to one of the branches and turn a bit to put your folded cape down. There, the perfect pillow. Turning yourself back around, you uncross your legs, lean back, and stretch. 

Yaaawwwnn “At least those jerks didn’t get their hands on my book”

Holding your hands out, you appear to get the book out of thin air. You don’t think you’ll ever really get used to that. The good news about having an inventory is that only you can put stuff in and take stuff out of it. At least you can’t possibly think of how someone else would. Opening up to the first page, you settle in and wait for Dream to get back. 

...

You hear the leaves rustling as they carry the midnight breeze. Everything’s so much more peaceful after the sun goes down. Instinctually, you grip the edges of the book a little more tightly to keep the paper from following the wind. A shiver runs up your spine and halts your reading. Is it really that cold? Usually the temperature doesn’t affect you; must be freezing. Leaning up a bit, you turn around to get your.. there’s nothing there. What were you looking for? Oh well, whatever it was mustn’t have been that important. You shiver again. Turning back around, your gaze catches the outside world through the leaves. It’s pitch black out there. Dream should have been back by now. You shiver again. Without looking, you mark the page you’re on and close your book before setting it aside. Should you go look for him? The branches of the tree creak in tune with the howling of the wind. No, he probably just got held up with something... besides, you can’t just leave the tree unguarded. You stare through the leaves as the world outside grows darker and darker. Yea, Dream’s tough you’re sure he’s fine. If anything he’s probably just trying to make sure he gets the best thing to make you feel better. You smile at the thought. The shadows smile back. The wind picks up its pace as the leaves obscure the darkness. You hope he doesn’t stay out to long, at least not with it being this cold. Hopefully, he’s holding up indoors somewhere. You shudder as your breath comes out as fog. The breeze plays a haunting melody as it runs through the leaves. You watch on as the shadows’ smile grows wider. You’re not smiling anymore. It beckons you to listen closely. Closely. You close your eyes. In darkness you can hear the wind’s voice.

“Nightmare..”

“Nightmare..”

You open your eyes. The darkness surrounds you, but you can still. See. The shadows’. Smile.

“Nightmare..”

“Nightmare..”

“Brother!”

Your eyes fly open as you shoot up into a sitting position. Breathing a little heavier than normal you look around wildly. What? What happened? A figure pops up in front of you.

“AAAAAAAA-mmmm!!!!”

“Stop screaming! It’s just me!”

You blink a few times before finding your bearings. Dream’s sitting in front of you, face a little panicked as he holds a single gloved hand over your mouth. The book you were reading lays next to him. You’re still in the tree, but it’s brighter now. Warm sun rays filter through the leaves and spiral up the groves along the thick branches. The sound of morning dew birds twittering is carried by the summer breeze. With a sigh, Dream removes his hand and scoots back to give you some space.

“Oh... sorry, you just spooked me is all heheh”

You try to sit up straighter only to get tangled up in something. Looking down you see.. is that a blanket?

“Oh!”

Your gaze trails back up to Dream.

“It got a little colder during the night, so when I got back I thought I should cover you up”

It’s only now you realize that he’s missing his cape. Oh. You push the yellow fabric down to your legs so you can sit up more and look him in the eyes. Eye sockets? .. eh.

“Weren’t you cold too?”

He fiddles with his gloves and looks off to the side nervously.

“W-Well kinda. It was a little chilly sure, but when I got back.. you were just shaking so much I figured you needed it more than I did.”

Another damn shiver runs up your spine at the memory of your dream. It’s weird. Ever since you’ve gotten here, you haven’t experienced things like hunger or exhaustion. You thought it was a little strange at first. To an extent it even freaked you out. But after awhile you just.. got used to it. It even made sense when you thought about it. Dream and Nightmare are guardians of the Tree of Feelings. If they constantly needed things like food or sleep than it would only get in the way of their purpose. So to put it shortly, you haven’t slept in two years. Sure you’ve had nights where you and Dream just laid back and watched the stars, but you never actually went to sleep. No sleep means no dreams means no freaky ass nightmares. You sigh and rub the back of your neck.

“Thanks Dream, just make sure you take care of yourself too.”

He beams at you and raises his hands.

“Hehe, don’t worry I’m fine.”

You squint your eyes and lean closer.

“Are you sure? Don’t make me tickle you.”

His eyes pop open comically as his smile turns into a straight line.

“Oh stars please don’t. Besides..”

Dream pouts at you and puts his hands on his hips. He looks like mother hen all puffed up like that.

“I’m not the one who had an entire book shelf fall on top of him.”

You wince a little at that. Yeaaa.. bookshelf. Sure felt like a bookshelf fell on you... fell on you about fifty times. Speaking of which. You look down and *check out the damage.

Nightmare- ATK 19 DEF 25

LV 1

EXP 0

HP 100/100

Full health?!? But when- how? You look up at Dream, but he just shakes his head and smiles.

“Nope! Wasn’t me. You were already at full HP by the time I got back. As it turns out, all you need is a good rest to get back in shape”

Oh. Oh right! Sleeping can restore your HP! You can’t believe you forgot about that.

“It’s a good thing.. but kind of a shame to..”

Huh? You look at Dream, confused. He just gazes down at his hands before pulling a box out of his inventory.

“And after aaallllll the trouble Mrs. Dullshun went through making this delicious, mouth watering strawberry cake.”

Dream opens the box and- dear stars, you’re not hungry but it feels like a hole just opened up in your nonexistent stomach. The way the creamy vanilla icing blankets what must be soft doughy pink, the kind that melts in your mouth. And the strawberries, oh god the strawberries. You don’t need it but..

“Well we.. wouldn’t want her efforts to go to waste.”

Maybe a slice wouldn’t hurt.

.

You can’t believe you and Dream just ate that entire cake. You don’t regret it though. You’re third eye is open and you can see god. You forgot how great eating is. Whoever Mrs. Dullshun is has your eternal gratitude. That woman can make one mean strawberry cake. 

“Uuuuhgggnnnhhh.. no more cake.. I immediately regret.”

“Hhhnn weak.. and you call yourself my brother..”

A slow hand rises up and paps you in the face. You snort and sit up after pushing the hand away. You go to stretch before a loud noise in the distance catches you off guard. Dream jumps up with a start and looks at you.

“What was that??”

“Noooo idea, we should.. probably check it out though.”

Quickly, you place your book back in your inventory. Both of you put your capes back on and climb down the tree. Once the two of you are back on the ground, you look out towards the village to see if anything’s wrong. For a while nothing happens.. but then

Boom!

Radiant color sparks and flairs out in the sky. It’s loud and bright and beautiful. Fireworks. Someone’s setting off fireworks. You’re about to say something to Dream when a hand wraps around yours and tugs you in the direction of the village. 

“Wai- what are-“

“Come on! Let’s go see what’s happening!”

Dream doesn’t relent as he practically drags you across the ground. Wow he’s got a strong grip.

“W-wait! Shouldn’t one of us stay with the tree??”

“Don’t worry! If something happens we’ll sense it and come right back.”

You sigh and continue to let yourself be dragged. You’re too full of cake to out stubborn Dream right now.

It doesn’t take long with how fast Dream’s barreling down the street, tugging you by the hand as you just lean back and use the heals of your boots to skate across the cobblestone. At one point you put your other arm behind your head as though you’re reclining. Dream may not have notice your antics, but you certainly get a few looks from the villagers you pass by. Dream still doesn’t notice though; he’s to busy trying maneuver through this huge crowd. Jeez, is the whole village here or something. You can’t see much with the majority of the monsters here being taller than you. You can, however, hear the excited murmur of the villagers and the delighted squeal of children. Alright now you’re curious, what’s got everybody so rambunctious?

“Excuse me”  
“Coming through”  
“So sorry”  
“Oh! Morning to you too Mrs. Ulla”  
“Just trying to-“  
“Scuse us”  
“Thank you”

Dream rambles off pleasantries like a witch put a curse on him. Meanwhile, unsuspecting monsters politely scoot aside for him before giving you odd looks. Most of them are glares others just ignore your very existence. You feel like you’re back in high school. Luckily, before you know it you’re at the front of the crowd. Thank the stars.

“-that’s right! Come on up! We heard a new little town had popped up over night and we just had to see it for ourselves!”

Dream gasps as you look up. There in the middle of the market place is something- well it’s certainly something. A small wagon with the back set up like a stage is open for all to see. Colorful streamers dance in the air as glittering confetti-like magic shimmers overhead. A single monster takes the stage. He resembles a crow, with his slicked back onyx feathers. His clothes gleam like his magic; the purple hue allows him to stand out even more. But your gaze falls elsewhere. Just below the stage sits a stand of sorts. Bubbles blow out one side as music plays out the other. A kind looking monster with a silly mask mans the cart as he hands out various items to the kids prancing around it. You feel a slight tug on your hand and look up.

“Come on! Let’s go see what they have!”

You almost make a remark about not being kids before remembering that the both of you are LITERALLY two years old. The thought makes you freeze up until you think about it more. Huh. You’re a kid now..

Fuck yea! You’re a kid now!

Dream doesn’t miss the way your eyes turn to stars as you beam at him before taking off towards the cart.

“You’re right! Let’s go!”

This time it’s Dream being dragged while you skip over to where the other kids are. The masked monster turns to you and smiles. 

“Well hello new comers! Care for a treasure from distant lands?”

The both of you nod excitedly, and the kind monster chuckles before reaching into the cart.

“I think I know just what to give you two”

He rummages around for a bit before pulling out two little trinkets.

“Here we are!”

He tentatively hands Dream his trinket before giving you yours. A small wooden yo-yo sits perfectly in your hand. It’s smooth but you can still see little ringlets along the surface. Dream holds his up in wonder. A miniature drum sits on top of a wooden stick. Strings stick out on opposite ends, connecting black beads to the instrument. It’s a spin drum! You and Dream smile at the kind monster, happy with your new found treasure.

“Thank you!”  
“Thank you.”

The monster smiles back from under his mask.

“You’re very welcome. You two have a good day now!”

“You too!”

The both of you walk back through the crowd and down the cobbled street. Dream twirls the stick between his hands as you try to get the string around your finger.

“Today was fun! I hope everyday is like this.”

You stop fiddling with the string to look at Dream and smile.

“Yea, I hope so too..”

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the comments!!  
> They mean a lot  
> ヽ(；▽；)ノ
> 
> Also more drawings for this chapter:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190647707204


	8. An Ok Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader be the other guardian ==>

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You are now the other guardian.

A sweet melody follows a brightly dressed figure as they skip down the road. The scent of freshly baked goods wafts through the spring air. Your name is Dream. You along with your brother Nightmare are tasked with protecting one of the three sacred trees: the Tree of Feelings. Children run out of an open door and pass by you, putting the melody you were humming on pause.

“Maya! Raina! Be careful out there!”

“We will mom!”

A snow white bunny monster wearing a light orange dress now stands in the door way.

“Ah, Dream. Lovely seeing you this morning. What are you up to?”

“Lovely to see you too! I was just delivering this basket for Mr. Crandle.”

“Oh how kind of you, stars knows that poor man’s legs aren’t what they used to be. Well you best be off then, wouldn’t want the food to get cold.”

You nod before continuing down the path. Yep, you’re the guardian of positivity! As such, it is your responsibility to protect the hopes and dreams of others. It’s a heavy burden to bear, but you don’t mind. As long as others are happy and safe, that’s all that matters. Which is why you often try to make time to help out the local villagers with anything you can. Although, you have to remember not to over do it. Nightmare gets all fussy when he thinks you’re over working yourself. You’ve tried explaining to him that you really don’t mind when people ask for your help. You don’t know why he’s so stubborn about it, but you think it’s sweet that he cares. You just wish he wouldn’t worry about you so much. You are perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, besides... it’s really him you’re worried about. Nightmare’s recently had a spring of bad luck, unfortunately. It seems like every other day now he shows back up to the tree sporting a scratch or two at the very least. Though, what bothers you most is how he got them. Whenever you ask what happened, he just laughs and brushes away your worry with tales of his latest hijinks. It’s always some sort of unforeseeable accident that’s to blame for his injuries. At first you thought it was Nightmare’s theatrical way of storytelling that made his excuses seem unbelievable, but now you suspect otherwise. It wasn’t until the other day that you began to grow suspicious. He slipped up in his story telling. Like usual, he was missing a good chunk of HP. Nightmare claimed he wasn’t watching where he was going and walked out in front of a moving cart. It would have made sense if it weren’t for the fact that.. there were hardly any physical wounds on him. But his health was so low. It bothered you so much, you went to the library. Luckily, they happened to have just what you were looking for. ‘Healing Magic and Other Medical Crafts’, the book contained a huge amount of information so it took you a little while to find what you were looking for. You don’t understand how Nightmare spends most of his time reading. Three pages in and you were ready to do something, literally anything else. You much prefer listening to stories than reading them. But you had to do this. Finally you got to a passage that talked about healing damage inflicted by magic. Apparently, while magic can usually only attack the soul directly, it can inflict small amounts of physical damage as well. Though it’s difficult to tell since on the outside one may appear to be fine, but their HP will be severely drained. It fit the description perfectly, but...

If magic was what hurt Nightmare then that meant.. that somebody had attacked him. But the only people around were... but the villagers had been.. kind. At least they were to you. You just couldn’t see it though! Why would anyone hurt Nightmare? And even more confusing, why wouldn’t he tell you?? There has to be some sort of explanation.

You sigh as you walk passed the local blacksmith and toy shop. No matter how much you try to clear your thoughts or make sense of them, nothing works. You’re quick to put on a smile though as you knock on a cottage door. It’s fine, after this you’ll go back to the tree and.. hopefully work up the courage to talk to Nightmare about your worries. The sound of footsteps can be heard before the door swings open to reveal a slender monster with auburn hair and orange fins.

“Mom’s out right now if that’s who you’re looking for”

“Oh, no it’s ok. I’m just here to drop off this basket for Mr. Crandle”

“Oh shoot I almost forgot”

She reaches and grasps the basket as you hold it out to her.

“Thanks. Oh, and mom told me to tell you that Elder Laufey and Conya wanted to see you”

“Did they say what for?”

She shakes her head and situates the basket with one arm.

“Alright then, I’ll go see what they need. Have a good day!”

“You too”

She shuts the door as you make your way back down the road. Looks like talking to Nightmare will have to wait.

...

How much longer is this ‘meeting’ going to take. It’s getting late and your face is starting to hurt. You’d stop smiling but then it’s almost guaranteed that someone will ask you if something is wrong. It’s not that you’re not happy. No, you’re totally happy! Toootally happy just... sitting here, doing nothing, listening to the same stuff you’ve heard over a million times. Ugh. No. Positive thoughts Dream, think positive thoughts! You’ve been here for a while so they’re bound to wrap this meeting up any minute now. Yea, and once they do you can finally go back to the tree and relax for the rest of the evening.. and ... possibly talk to Night about his... recent bout of misfortune. 

“A very wise decision elder. Opening a trade route to Citrine Valley will be very beneficial”

“Yes, but Citrine Valley is home for a lot of humans. Opening a trade route could invite trouble to the village”

“Ah, but it could also help us to establish peaceful connections”

“Heh, peaceful! You mean the same kind of peaceful connections the town of Barthanax made?”

“That was different. If they-“

“Enough. Both of you. It’s been a long day. I will take your council into equal consideration. As for now though, you are dismissed”

Conya and Jamal cease their seemingly endless debate and turn to Elder Laufey.

“Very well elder”  
“Thank you elder”

Finally! You think you’re face was starting to cramp up. A few more minutes and it would have been stuck like this forever. You quickly follow after the bunny monster and her scaly companion. However, just as you’re about to leave the tent, you collide with a figure a little shorter than you. Light purple ringlets invade your vision as you catch them before they can fall backwards. It’s a girl, maybe a few years older than you.

“S-sorry”

She bows her head shyly and moves passed you. That’s... odd? From what you’ve gathered, not many people are allowed in Elder Laufey’s business chamber. You squint at the entrance before shaking your head. You can think on it more later. For now you need to get back to the tree. Walking towards the main entrance, you push aside the colorful fabric and step out onto the path. Stars twinkle in the growing darkness as the sun’s light fades from the sky. You breathe in the crisp air and start the journey back home. Hopefully Nightmare isn’t worried about you being out for so long.

...

When you arrive at the tree, you’re surprised to see Nightmare standing under it. He usually crams himself in the middle of the branches, claiming the spot to be much more relaxing. You can’t possibly see how; the wood of the tree is a lot more unforgiving than the soft grass below. You walk forward a little bit but stop when you realize what he’s doing. A little above Nightmare’s head is one of the apples he is sworn to protect. His hand is raised as he holds it carefully. Violet eye lights flicker distantly as his body remains unnaturally still. 

You’ve always enjoyed reading the emotions that filter through the apples. In doing so you can feel all the wondrous things that others have already felt. Feelings like joy, confidence, and love. The golden glow of the sacred fruit never fails to make you smile. ... but that only goes for the apples you guard. It’s sort of a silent rule, but you and Nightmare can’t come into contact with the other’s apples. You’re not a hundred percent sure as to why, but you know it’s not good. Therefore, you’ll never experience what Nightmare feels when he reads the emotions of the negative apples. Obviously you know that the feelings themselves are negative in nature, but how so?? A part of you wonders what Nightmare thinks about when he experiences the grievances of others. Probably remorseful you imagine; he’s always been caring in his own way, even if he won’t admit it. You smile and walk a bit closer. It takes a few seconds before Nightmare slowly lowers his hand and turns around.

“hHOLY JUMPIN JACK FLASH!!!”

He jumps back and flails his arms to keep from falling over. He steadies himself before looking at you, eye socket twitching in lightly veiled irritation.

“Dream! I told you not to sneak up on me like that!”

You can’t help but laugh. His face was priceless, and the way he’s whisper yelling at you isn’t helping.

“Hehe, sorry sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you”

You whisper back in a similar tone before realizing.

“Uh, by the way, why are we whispering??”

Nightmare squints at you before catching on, face growing somewhat puzzled.

“I’m uh, not sure??”

“Should we stop??”

You both look at each other in silence before one of you starts to crack up. 

“Snrkk”  
“Pffff”

You put a hand over your mouth to hide light giggles while Nightmare snorts uncontrollably. Oh stars dammit, not the snorts! You can’t. You just CAN’T. One super weird and loud snort is all it takes for you to fall over squealing in laughter. Why must you always get so giggly at nighttime? Isn’t that when people are supposed to rest?? You’re laughter trails off for a moment when you remember what you wanted to talk to Night about. You’re gaze trails up to his face all scrunched up and eyes closed as his smile grows wider.

Maybe you’ll ask tomorrow..

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gdgdkfshfjz  
> They drew the uno card thing:
> 
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190677878499


	9. Surprise!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You’ve been saving up every coin you could find for this day.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Come on, you’ve been sitting here since four o’clock. 

Tap. Tap. Tap.

It’s almost five and you’re not even half way done.

Tap. Tap. Sigh.

You stop the repetitive motion of your pencil and lean back in your chair. The paper sitting on your desk glares up at you as if this situation is your fault. It’s not. You didn’t ask to have homework over the weekend. You use your foot to lightly kick off the side of the desk. Your spiny chair twirls as you lament your fate, only to stop when you hear a knock at your door.

“Hey! Mom said she’s taking us out to eat tonight. She said to be ready in a few minutes.”

You glance over at your desk. Oh what the heck. You were probably just gonna give up in a few minutes and play video games instead.

“Sure Dream! I’ll be out in a little bit”

Footsteps get farther from the door as you stand up and go over to your closet. You just need something casual. Should you wear jeans or..? You push your clothes back and forth before just deciding to put on the same outfit you always wear. Walking over to your bed, you set the clothes down. Before you can get undressed, you feel something slide down your face. Quickly, you reach up and rub at your eye- no, eye socket. Dammit, don’t you hate when your eyes water up for no reason. However, when you take your hand away and look at it, the liquid isn’t clear

it’s black.

“What the hell?”

Did you get lead on your hands from writing and not notice? Your mind feels murky and you can feel more of it trail down your cheeks. Slightly panicked, you make your way back over to the closet and shut the door to see the full body mirror. Sure enough there you are, still in your shorts and T-shirt but..

Your eyes..

It looks like you’re crying black sludge.

No. No no no. This can’t be happening. This can’t be. The sludge pours out faster and you stumble back. What did you do wrong? What did you do?? You try to cover your eyes with your hands but the darkness slips through your fingers and stains the floor. Oh god how do you stop this? Can you stop this?? The room grows dark as shadows surround you. 

Tap. Tap. Tap.  
There’s a knock at the door.

“Night! Are you almost ready? It’s time to go”

Oh no. Dream. You can’t let him see you like this. Trudging a path through the thick coat of darkness that now bubbles beneath you, you lock the door and lean against it.

“N-Not ready yet! Just-just give me a little longer!”

“Oh ok.. are you alright in there??”

“Yep! Totally fine!”

The liquid shadows now reach your knees. 

“Are you sure? You don’t sound like you’re alright..”

“Yes! I’m fine Dream just..”

Just stay on the other side of this door. A tingling sensation makes it’s way up your fingers and into your hands. You raise them up only to see the darkness slowly claim them as well. Frantically you try to wipe it off on your clothes which only further spreads it. 

“Night? Nightmare? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong!”

“Then open the door!”

“No!”

“Why not?!”

“Because-!”

Because there’s horrible things in here. The darkness is up to your chest now. More still falls from your eyes and climbs up your arms. If Dream comes in he’ll only get hurt. The door knob shakes; loud banging can be heard from the other side.

“Brother! Let me in!”

Dream’s frantic pleas are the last thing you hear before everything goes black.

...

Your eyes snap open as you jolt forward. Once your breathing settles, you groan and rub your face.

“Damn nightmares..”

Ugh, it’s been nearly every time you go to sleep now. Which sadly has gotten more and more frequent. You can’t help it though; getting your ass kicked all the time is kinda exhausting. Sure, fighting back has crossed your mind a few times, but it’s not like you actually want to hurt anyone. Besides, you doubt you could put up much of a fight if you tried. You sigh and look around. Looks like you fell asleep under the tree this time. Now you remember; you were actively trying to not fall asleep. A lot of good that did. You feel shuffling beside you and look down. Looks like you’re not the only one who needed sleep. Dream’s face is smushed against your shoulder, breathing steady and drooling all over your cape. 

Ew. 

You snort and carefully situate him to lean against the tree. Once you’re sure he won’t fall over, you carefully stand up and stretch. You walk a little away from the tree before shaking your head vigorously and smacking your face between both hands. Be gone thoughts! You’ve had enough angst for one day. That’s right! Bad thoughts are now banned for the rest of the day. Why’s that? Because today..

Is your birthday!!!

Yep, it’s December 21st, the same day you and Dream entered this odd cruel world. Luckily the twins’ birthday is something you do remember about Dreamtale. Unluckily you have another problem on your hands. You’ve been searching for days now and still haven’t found a present for Dream. If some jerk face doesn’t get in your way then the stores are closed for a holiday, or the clerk nervously assures you that they won’t have what you’re looking for. ‘Won’t have what you’re looking for’ your ass, they just don’t want you in their store. Probably think it’ll be bad for business or something. But today will be different! No sir, today you’re not taking any shit! You’re gonna look to your heart’s content and not give a damn who gets in your way. You want to do this for Dream. You’re getting him a birthday present come hell or high water. It’s with that thought that you take off in a sprint towards the village.

-

Left. Right. Straight.

Nope. Nope. Definitely not.

Once calm pedestrians look on in growing fear and scurry out of the way as you blaze by. Occasionally you screech to a halt to look around at the different stores. Local monsters shuffle out of your line of vision as you twist and turn your head, face set in a determined scowl. Eventually a sigh of relief wafts through the air when you take off again, running through the streets like a bat out of hell. You’re on the hunt and they don’t want to know what for. By the looks on their faces one would have thought it was them you were after.

Back and forth and back and forth.

You’d get dizzy if you could see yourself. You probably circulated through the whole village at least twice already, and with nothing to show for it. You almost go for a third time when something in a nearby window catches your eye. With all the speed of a manic cheetah, you run up and put your face against the glass.

Oh..

That is too perfect.

-

“Hey! Sorry it took so long to get back- and before you say anything, no I wasn’t going door to door slaving away, hopelessly cursed to help every soul that crossed my path”

Dream daintily puts his wrist against his forehead in a dramatic motion, and you can’t help but chortle. 

“Though, from what I hear it’s actually you who’s been going door to door all day”

He lowers his hand to place it on his hip and gives you a skeptical look. You just meet his gaze with a cheeky grin and a lilt in your voice.

“Why dear brother whatever do you mean? Surely you jest”

You can see him struggling to keep a straight face.

“Surely I do not, otherwise- heh- otherwise I would not have said it”

He turns slightly and folds his arms, just barely keeping it together. You sweep your arm up to place a hand on your chest and let out a loud gasp.

“But you can’t be insinuating THAT of me. Why, brother you must know that it simply isn’t true!”

“I can and I will! Mr. Coddswald told me himself, you gave many of the villagers quite the scare”

“Pffft! Really?!”

“Niiiiiight”

“Also- what kind of name is kkqqdhsh- CODDSWALD???”

“Night!”

“Sorry sorry, you’re right that was rude”

With a breathy laugh, you walk to the trunk of the tree and sit down before patting the ground on your right. Dream sighs before going over to sit down next to you. 

“Sooo you found out about my recent escapades. Welp! Looks like the jig is up”

Dream gives you a puzzled expression as you reach into your inventory. You sigh in mock defeat before pulling out two items.

They’re priceless but the look on his face is even more so. A necklace sits in each of your hands. Gold shines in the sun as it encases brilliant moonstone in its light. You hand Dream the one with the moon and keep the sun for yourself. He looks up at you not knowing what to say.

“Pretty cool right? I thought it be nice if it felt like we were with each other, you know cause we usually do our own thing during the day and- oof”

Your nervous ramblings are cut of by arms squeezing the life out of you. Dream loosens his grip a bit so you can hug him back.

“Happy birthday Dream”

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t completely sure if December 21st was the correct date cause when I looked for it I got a few conflicting answers. But anyway I hope you like the new chapter despite it not being very long.
> 
> Also here’s a picture of the necklaces ^^:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190771628279


	10. A Not So Ok Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> :(

A darkly dressed figure walks down a cobbled lane. Grey clouds pass overhead with a promise. Despite it being so early, the sun is unable to shine as it usually does. The guardian pauses their stroll to enjoy the morning air. It’s humid and cool out, but to you it feels just right. Putting your hood up, you continue down the path. The good thing about being out this early is that not many people are up yet. You ghost past unlit windows and closed doors. All is quiet. Even your footsteps are lost in the unyielding silence.

Why are you up so early? Well you’re not just out for a walk. If that’s what you wanted, then you would’ve taken a stroll through the woods nearby. No, you’re here for something else. Rosy wooden doors dulled by dawn bring you to a stop. Turning the bronze handle, you push open one of the double doors. It’s not locked; it always opens earlier than anything else. Shutting the door behind you, you clean your boots on the mat and breathe in the smell of old books. 

“Oh.. Sully is that you?”

You smile a little at the familiar greeting and walk over towards the mahogany desk.

“No Miss Pim, it’s just me”

“Oh of course! Silly me”

A small owl sits behind the desk, feathers a little withered from age, and round glasses larger than her face. Miss Pim is the owner of the only library in the village. As she’s gotten older her senses have progressively lost their sharpness. Though a part of you likes to think her kind demeanor isn’t due to the fact she can’t even see you.

“That boy’s always getting into something, one of these days he won’t be able to get himself out”

Her feathers ruffle a bit as she talks about her youngest nephew. You’ve never run into him yourself, but from what Miss Pim’s told you he’s a real rascal. 

“Don’t worry I’m sure he’s not doing anything too crazy”

You give her a reassuring smile as you pull out a book from your inventory and slide it to her. Miss Pim adjusts her glasses before squinting at the title.

“My my, ‘The Adventures of Captain Cordenza’, and you’re already done?”

“Yep, read the whole thing”

“Well aren’t you the bookworm”

She sets to work documenting the book’s return as you wonder off towards the shelves. You’ve been reading a lot of history and magic instructional guides lately, you should probably mix it up and read some fiction for fun. You’re a little curious. In a world filled with monsters and magic, is anything actually fiction? 

Your mind roams as you pass by different genres, romance and horror alike. Just thinking about the world you’re in right now is insane to you. With the wave of a hand, everyday objects dismiss the very notion of gravity. Through shear force of will you can summon weapons that didn’t exist previously. It’s wild. You try not to get lost in the concept of magic alone, forget about things like...

You pause your browsing and raise a hand in a thinking gesture. If anyone else saw you it would just look like you were considering which book to get. Unless they could read minds, they’d never guess you were contemplating the existence of the multiverse. You sigh. There’s not much of a point in thinking about it. You don’t have a reason to access other worlds let alone know how to. 

Without much consideration, you shake your head of thoughts and reach for a random book. Just before your fingers make contact with the leather cover however, someone bumps into your side knocking you off balance. You stumble a little before steadying yourself and look up. Oh. Oh no.

“What in the- oh, it’s YOU.”

You, unfortunately, recognize the three monsters in front of you.

“What are you doing here freak?? Trying to cause trouble?”

Dammit. You’re sweating already. And you were having a good day too. ‘What are you doing here?’ What are THEY doing here? People don’t usually visit the library this early. You know it’s usually better when you don’t say anything, but you’re too shocked to keep your mouth closed.

“I’m not causing trouble. I’m just looking for something to read.”

“Huh? Did you say something?”

Before you can even react, the one who bumped into you grabs you by the shirt and lifts you up. Your arms are shaking now as you grip their wrist on instinct. The lousy cretin leans down, eyes burning with malice. 

“I couldn’t hear you over how much I don’t care.”

“Psst”

Asshole number one looks back at his fellow goons. The one on the right nods his head towards the front of the library. You’re not the only ones here. Miss Pim’s still at her desk. You’re not dumb enough to think this let’s you off the hook. The monster grips your shirt tighter and leers down at you. 

Of course not. 

.

A back door swings open and a figure flies out before hitting the hard stone ground. You groan off the pain and stand to make a run for it. You’re not fast enough. A hand snags your arm and throws you against the outside wall.

“And just where do you think you’re going?”

A forearm is shoved roughly into your chest to keep you in place. 

“Looks like you haven’t learned anything from the last time we met”

“G-guys listen I’m kinda busy today, you know not getting my ass kicked, could- could we just reschedule this for some other time??”

Their expressions only grow darker. Whoever thought that humor was a good coping mechanism can go to hell. The forearm disappears before its owner grabs you by the shirt and throws you to the others. You struggle as both of them hold your arms behind you and push your shoulders down. 

“Let me go! I haven’t even done anything to you?!?”

You know it doesn’t matter whether you’ve done something or not. It just frustrates you to no end. In your eyes there’s no logic behind their actions. They’re just doing it because... 

Because..

‘Because people are filled with hate’

Hate? You breathing is heavy from putting up a fight. Slumping a little, you look to see the other monster pick up something off the ground. When they turn back to face you it’s clear that their malice hasn’t wavered. They grip the wooden edge of their new weapon, fallen from a once whole crate, and stalk closer towards you. Your eyes grow wider at the danger as you start to struggle even more. The hold on your arms only gets tighter and unbearably painful. You’re hyperventilating now. Fear consumes your body and mind. All you can think is- they’re going to kill you. 

‘Kill them’

You’re thoughts are jumbled, each fighting for a voice, yet they stop for this one. Kill them? No. You refuse. Even if you could, you don’t-

You don’t want to go down that road.

A shadow looms over you as the figure reals back their weapon. You squeeze your eyes tight and grit your teeth. 

You can’t.

You refuse.

.  
..  
...

What’s that noise?

It’s cold.

Slowly, you open your eyes and immediately regret it. You shut your eyes as your face scrunches up in pain. Everything hurts. You curl in on yourself. Your clothes are wet. Oh, it’s raining. 

.  
..  
You should probably get up.. or at least try to move. 

.  
..  
Dream’s gonna get worried if you don’t show up..

.  
..  
Whatever.

You continue to lay in the cobbled alleyway and watch as the puddles around you fill with more water. It’s not good to let bad feelings fester. You should really get up.

You don’t move.

Drops of water shimmering like opals slide down your face and mix with the rain.

It won’t hurt to lay here for just a few more seconds.

.


	11. Your Own Worst Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...

You knew this would happen. You never wanted it to come to this, but deep down you knew it couldn’t be helped. People are capable of so many horrible things, especially when consumed by hatred. It’s in their nature. It doesn’t matter if they think it’s right or not. Deep down people will always be capable of hurting others, because the truth is people want to hurt others. 

A once blue sky shadows the land in blood red. It seems as though all the light has been sucked out of everything, leaving the world in it’s natural state of eternal darkness. Black clouds swirl eerily overhead and yet no water falls from them. Flowers and grass alike wilt away from the absence of sun. It’s cold, but there is no sign of snow or wind. It is a still and solemn chill that creeps into life and chokes it. A lone figure stands before a dying tree; a single apple sits in their hands, now blackened by the terrible sin they’ve committed.

Frightening creatures rally near the figure, fire in their hands and scorn in their hearts. They’ve been waiting for this day. On this day they can be who they truly are, for this is a day of truth. You see, it is only in darkness that the truth is revealed. In darkness it is safe to be what you truly are.

The small being takes a step back. The mob takes a step forward. Blood they shout. Dust they cry. In the end it’s all the same. Violence they want.

The figure looks and looks but can find no one to help. Oh don’t you see? You’ve been alone from the start. How foolish. How sad. You poor pathetic little thing. 

They look down in despair. What else can they do? They’re alone and running out of time. The fire is getting closer.

You close your eyes.

In darkness you can hear the wind.

Closer.

Closer.

“I’m here”

You open your eyes.

A single black apple sits in your hands.

Go ahead.

“I’m here”

It calls out to you.

Go ahead.

It beckons you closer.

“I’m here”

You slowly raise the apple towards your mouth.

Show them what you truly are.

You inhale sharply before-...

...

What.

Are. 

You.

Doing!?

As if it had suddenly caught fire, you throw the apple to the ground and stumble back. Feeling dizzy and numb you drop to your hands and knees. You suck in huge gulps of breath as you try to figure out what the hell is going on. How did this happen? You don’t even remember touching one of Dream’s apples. 

The world grows even darker as you breathe. The grass parts where the apple fell, scared to touch such a corrupted thing. Unlike the solid apples that take form on the tree, this one drips like tar and smells like ash. The surface of the cursed fruit ripples ominously. Your gaze lingers on it for just a second longer before you tear it away, no longer able to stand the sight. You look to your other side. Wasn’t there a mob? The violent cries for your destruction no longer rip through the air. They had looked like the villagers only.. their figures had appeared torched and mangled.

You shiver.

The ground beneath your hands is dry and stained with the ashes of dead leaves. You’ve never seen ‘dust’ before, but if you had to guess, it would look like this. Now you just feel sick. 

Nervously, you stand up and look towards the tree. Many of its leaves are missing; there is no color to be found. Once regal branches now look burnt and twisted. Yet the most horrifying part of all, are the apples that hang from the dark wood. You look and look but cannot find a single drop of sunlight gold. Smoky black is all that remains. 

No.

Panicked, you rush over to the tree, nearly tripping over a stray root. Your footsteps fall flat as you reach the trunk. A shaky unsure hand is gently placed over disenchanted bark. You don’t know how to fix this. What can you do? ... maybe- maybe Dream can fix the tree? You’re pretty sure he can change the apples back to the way they were, the positive ones at least. But.. you don’t know where he is.. Where is he? Why are you the only one here? You lean against the tree and hang your head.

“What’s going on?”

-Oh, but don’t you already know?-

Your head shoots up, eyes wide in unknown terror. Tensely, your hands press against the tree as you stare at the bark. There’s someone behind you.

-What’s the matter?-

The voice is both familiar and unfamiliar. You don’t move.

-Do you not know who I am? Is that what frightens you?-

Don’t turn around.

-Or perhaps, you do know who I am-

Footsteps grow closer.

-And that terrifies you-

He’s right there.

H E L L N O

You push away from the tree and take off right. You don’t stop. You don’t look back. You don’t think. Well.. you do think ‘oh shit’ when something wraps around your waist and pulls you back. 

-You sure are a speedy little fucker aren’t you. Did you really think you could get away that easily?-

Your feet drag along the ground as you frantically try to untangle yourself from whatever the hell’s got you trapped. 

“I don’t know who you are, but let me go!”

In a second you’re back in front of the tree and- oh. Oh shit. Your lame attempted struggle comes to an end when you meet your captor. The same jet black of the corrupted apple invades your vision. It’s like looking in a funhouse mirror, you know, without the fun. A grin of cruel delight stretches across his face. Wicked chuckles circle the tense atmosphere and make you want to disappear.

-So you do recognize me-

...

“I’m dreaming.. I’m in a coma and I’m dreaming. People always told me that getting into nerd stuff would cause me trouble one day. Lo and behold today’s the fuchin day! I mean it’s been a good run but at some point it’s time to call it. Like sometimes you gotta look inside yourself and ask ‘what am I willing to put up with today?’ Well I’ll tell you what, it’s not fuckin this! Thanks but no thanks! Ima head out. See you on th-“

-S t o p t a l k i n g-

Right. Scary ‘you’. Shutting up now. Damn nervous rambling. Damn coping mechanisms. They’re gonna get you killed one day, especially if the look on this guy’s face is anything to go by. The goopy appendage around your midsection loosens just barely, but your feet come no closer to the ground. His grin returns, this time much sharper.

-Well you’re right about one thing. All of this is most definitely a dream.-

He waves a shadowy hand to gesture vaguely at the wasteland that surrounds you.

-But it is one that will soon become a reality, that much is certain.-

“It won’t.”

-Oh?-

Piercing blue looks up at you in mocking amusement. Your determined gaze doesn’t budge.

“It won’t happen. I won’t even lay a hand on one of those golden apples let alone eat any of them. I already know how this plays out. I’ll never stop fighting it. I won’t give in.”

...

-...heh....heheh..hehehhehHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA-

You jolt back in confusion as another shiver runs up your spine. The shrill sounds of insanity echo through the burning darkness. It permeates around you and invades your mind. Before you can blink you’re suddenly in front of him. You really want to wake up now.

-..Oh but why would you ever want to fight it? Because it’s wrong? Because it’ll cause others pain? So what if it does. Would it really matter? It’s not like anyone else thinks it would.-

~’this world would be better off without a freak. Like. You.’~

You shut your eyes tight and shake your head as though it will get the voices out.

“No”

-But you know I’m right. No one gives a damn about you, so why bother caring for others. Why not give in. Open your eyes and see the world for what it truly is.-

“Dream”

The appendage around your waist tightens.

-What-

...  
You open your eyes and glare defiantly.

“Dream cares about me.”

His features turn jagged as though you’ve just told a sick joke. Another broken cacophony of laughter fills the blackened sky, but this time you don’t move. Another vicious shiver courses through you, yet your eyes remain glaring at the figure in front of you.

-Oh but of course, who could ever forget about sweet innocent DREAM. You can always count on your dearest brother in your time of need. But what’s this?-

Suddenly the world around you shifts without the two of you moving. You blink only to find yourself in a memory you’d rather forget. It’s late but the ground is still wet. The Tree of Feelings stands tall, leaves seeming to flourish after the drizzle. A broken figure limps up the hill. You watch in agony as the figure looks around for someone not there. Still weak from injury they crash against the tree and weep silently. Everything fades to darkness as you turn to your captor.

“So what?! He wasn’t at the tree, big deal!”

-but it hurt.-

You flinch. It- it had hurt, just a little. After having a miserable day, getting back to the tree and seeing Dream tends to make it better. Sure he might scold you, tell you to be more careful, but at least he cares enough to do so. Dream’s the best part of your day, of course it hurt...  
But..

“It’s not his fault”

-... that’s right, he doesn’t even know, does he.-

“I-“

-Of course not. After all you haven’t told him about all the F U N you’ve had-

His expression is nothing but wicked. He steps to the side to reveal Dream, just standing there, every day smile on his face as though he was waiting for you. Without warning, you’re dropped to the ground with a thud. Sitting up you turn to glare at the slimy bastard. His expression hasn’t changed.

-Go on, tell him-

Your face twists in confusion before you look at ‘Dream’. It looks just like him.. but this isn’t real. Eyes not leaving the other, you stand up and approach him. He just continues to smile at you, eyes brightly warding off the endless dark. For awhile you just stare. Fists clench the bottom of your shirt. How do you tell him? You breathe in sharply. The silence is maddening. Just tell him. You open your mouth.

...

...

“I can’t..”

Your shoulders drop as you cast your gaze downwards.

“I can’t tell him.”

‘Dream’ wavers for a bit before disappearing. The presence behind you grows closer. You turn around to meet a single stark blue light. 

“But that doesn’t change anything. I’m still not giving in. I don’t care what you say.”

-You will. Eventually you’ll see I’m right. But for now-

He raises a hand as if to snap his fingers. The blue turns icy as he grins wider.

-I t s t i m e t o w a k e u p-

-

...

“Night...”

..

“Night.”

You inhale sharply as your eyes fly open to see two brilliant orbs of sunset yellow.

“Are you alright? Heh, you looked really grumpy in your sleep”

Dream blinks, his face way too close. Without reacting you reach up grab his face and push it back.

“I’m fine, but word of advice, maybe don’t get so close. You could have startled me and we would’ve bumped heads”

You smirk while Dream flails comically before falling on his arse. He pouts and sticks his tongue out at you. In retaliation, you make a gesture you’ve seen some of the older villagers do. It’s not the bird but it might as well be. Dream doesn’t even bat an eye before repeating the gesture with both hands.

“Toad foot”

“Slimy mongrel”

“Graceless beast”

“Little bastard”

“Horse’s ass”

Shit that was good. You’re about to unload another ridiculous insult when a small orange pouch with a yellow sun on it catches your eye.

“Hey Dream, what’s that?”

You point at the item as Dream lifts it up by beaded turquoise strings.

“Oh! These are some new sweets that I found in the market. The lady said they were called Crystal Frost”

He reaches into the pouch before plucking out a shiny, ice blue candy and popping it into his mouth. You hear the crunch before he breathes in air and breathes out..-

“Is that snow??”

“Yep!”

“That’s awesome! Let me try”

He hands you the bag of sweets before moving over to sit next to you. On closer inspection, the hard candies look like little snowflakes. Popping one in your mouth, you bite down on it before it dissolves. Jeez that’s cold. Breathing in you feel something like magic start to build up. You exhale and watch as crystalline snow dances in front of you. It’s like you’re an ice dragon!

You and Dream continue to eat candy as you sit in comfortable silence. Your mind wonders back to the nightmare you just had. You’re still a little confused. Where did that guy even come from? Why the hell does he look like corrupted Nightmare? Is he the reason you’ve been having the worst sleep ever?? Cause if so, that guy can suck it. No one fucks with your sleep. You sigh and watch as fluffy clouds pass overhead.

...

Great.

It looks like you’ve got another problem on your hands.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reader: not gonna lie, they had us in the first half
> 
> Whoo! I’m really proud of this chapter! Also, ooooo new character?? Who this?  
> (・・?)???  
> Just kidding we know it’s just reader’s sleep paralysis demon.  
> But seriously though, who is he? Why can’t reader tell Dream the truth? What fate awaits our heroes? Why am I asking questions when I’m the author???  
> Anyway I hope you had fun reading, expect more soon!


	12. Where’s the Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some time has passed and you’ve gotten better at dealing with your problems. Sorry did I say ‘dealing with’? I meant IGNORING. Speaking of problems, the corrupted asshole voice in your head can now torment you in the waking world. Yay! At least you can tune him out for the most part.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Corrupted Nightmare   
> -talks like this-
> 
> Reader’s inner voice when sassing him  
> ‘Looks like this’

-You need me-

Phantom pain shoots through your sides. You keep yourself from making any noise as you duck behind a crate. Holding in grunts of agony, you notice as something shines in the corner. You reach over and carefully pick up the shard of broken glass. With one arm nursing your ribs, you sneakily stick the glass out to catch the alleyway’s reflection. Tall figures can be seen at the opening, but they’re so far away all you can hear are hissing whispers. It’s impossible to make out what they’re actually saying. Please just move on. Don’t come down this way.

-You shouldn’t have to hide like this-

They’re not moving. Damn, should you make a break for it? You’ve gotten faster, they might not be able to catch you. Still, there’s a possibility they’ve given up already; you just need to be patient. Taking slow, steady breaths you stare into the glass with growing anticipation. 

-T h e y s h o u l d b e t h e o n e s h i d i n g f r o m y o u-

‘And would YOU go away? Now really isn’t a good time’

Sweat drips down the side of your forehead, your fingers tremble from holding the broken shard for so long.

-I still don’t know why you continue to resist. All this effort, and for what? So you can h i d e behind crates?..-

The corners of your vision turn fuzzy; darkness lingers just out of sight. The voice takes on an enticing tone, sounding as though the source was right next to you.

-All you’d have to do is bite into one little apple and all your problems would go away.-

You blink rapidly, trying to simultaneously ignore his words and focus on the reflection. The voice seems to get closer somehow.

-Wouldn’t that be nice? To feel safe. To not worry about being hurt by others..-

The voice gets closer.

-Wouldn’t that be perfect?-

The figures move. As soon as they’re around the corner, you shoot up and shake your head. 

‘Fuckin hell, can’t we ever focus on something else? I don’t know maybe like.. names?? I don’t even know what to call you!’

You drop the glass to the cobbled ground, shattering it further. A hand reaches up to rub the stress off your face.

‘Like, as ominous as ‘the voice’ sounds, it’s getting old. And it’s not like I can call you Nightmare cause that would just be plain confusing..’

...

You sigh in exasperation before making your way out of the alley.

“So now you’re quiet. Fine. Don’t get pissed when I start calling you Lord Squish, King of the Gummy Worms or something..”

You expertly sneak to the cornerstone and peek around to see an empty lane. Looks like the perps have fled the scene and wondered back to the trash caves they crawled out of. Shoulders relaxing for a bit you lean back against the stone wall and *check your health.

*Nightmare - ATK 20 DEF 30

*LV 1

*EXP 0

*HP 93/120

You’re only missing twenty seven HP. You slouch against the wall even further. It’s not that bad; you’ve definitely had worse. Halfheartedly, you reach into your inventory and pull out a left over snack you saved from earlier.

*Cheese Roll

*heals 30 HP

-It’s no longer warm and already half eaten, but it is still very much FILLED with cheese...

-Why the hell would anyone put this in their body??

You promptly shove the thing in your mouth, ignoring the flavor text. It’s not... that bad; your face scrunches a little. Maybe eating the whole thing at once was a bad idea. Probably would have helped if you’d kept it wrapped up in something too. Oh well, at least your HP is full again. Leisurely, you push off the wall and stretch until you hear something pop. You sigh and roll your shoulders back as you stroll onto the cobbled path. Walking around you can’t help but notice the village has gotten just a tad bit bigger. Not by much, but still. It’s a sunny day. As such, many of the residents are out and about. A lady in knee high boots is speaking ardently with the local blacksmith. She’s saying something about a new helmet, if you heard correctly. Passing by a large alleyway you can see some kids playing some form of kick ball. The trick is they can only use magic to move it around. 

Picking up speed you decide to get back to the tree more quickly. It’s not exactly a good idea for you to be out here in the middle of the day. You don’t notice how much your surroundings blur as you run by people and buildings alike. You certainly don’t notice the white fence that goes around the the bottom of the hill until you slam right into it. A loud ‘thud’ rings out as the painted wood shakes from the force of impact.

“Ooooowwwwa...”

Little moons and stars dance in your vision as you lay on the ground moaning. You swear you can hear the chirping of tweety birds. You sit up and shake your head before looking at the fence. If that wasn’t the most looney toon bullshit you’ve ever seen.. Who the hell even decided to put this fence here?? Wait better question. You look around frantically. Did anyone see that?? You don’t see anyone; maybe you got lucky. A bit flustered by your sudden clumsiness, you stand up bashfully and dust your clothes off. You then proceed towards the opening in the fence, before calmly walking to the tree like you didn’t just ram into wooden planks at full speed. 

Once you’ve expertly climbed your way into the tree, a note half hazardously scrawled on greets you. The absolutely horrendous penmanship let’s you know that Dream left it. He informs you that he’s went to the woods to find.. something for.. someone. You can’t really make out the details, but oh well, he’ll probably just be back later. Once that’s out of the way, you waste no time settling into your spot and pulling out your latest book. It’s a new one. You have no idea what it’s about or anything; you just grabbed a random story off the shelf. Your fingers trace over the cryptic symbols that make up the title. It certainly isn’t any language you recognize from your past life, but you understand it nonetheless. 

“Our Fatal Soliloquy”

Just by the title it sounds interesting. You open the book to reveal the text is aligned in somewhat of a play format. So it’s probably fiction, or at the very least based on real events. Your eyes sparkle curiously as you begin to read.

‘Act 1

Section 1

It is a sad yet hopeful sight. To see soft Rosemary grow in such a decrepit place as this. And yet they flourish. O beacons of grace in this melancholy wasteland, a symbol of peace, a promise. Lilac herbs drift over the tombstones as if to comfort that which lies beneath. Gentle hands join the sweet sorrow of mourning. 

Rosemary: Pray thee rest now O fair patrons of the other world, for the war is now long over. Your battles won, may you find eternal slumber.

A withered dress of forgotten love covers her ethereal beauty. Pale unseeing eyes ghost over starlit fields of old. It is both a blessing and a curse. To be unable to witness the majesty of this world, yet unable to see its horrors as well. Of which there are, sadly, many...’

...

You read without pause, allowing yourself to get lost in pages as the sun gets closer to setting. You can’t help it, the story’s just so freakin good! As you’ve come to find out, Rosemary is a young widow left alone in a world filled with war and death. She has come to spend her time wandering the many graveyards that sprung up where past battles were fought. Soldiers weary from long days tell stories of a mourning bride that roams from grave to grave in search for her late husband. Lexis an imperial general is skeptical of her crews tall tales and goes out to investigate on a moonlit night. Of course Lexis falls for Rosemary IMMEDIATELY. Like, she falls hard. You’re just now getting to the part where Rosemary throws herself onto the front lines to protect Lexis. 

‘With all she had, heart in hand the gentle Rosemary sprout thorns. With all she had, the poor lady sought to protect that which she had lost long ago.

Captain Lea: Weep now brave General, for this will be your final moment

Lexis: A leader doth not weep before any who oppose them

Captain Lea: So be it then

Rosemary: Cry out to me my love, bequeath thy mortal fate!

End Act 2’

..What??  
No it can’t end there! Oh it better not pull some sort of time skip bull malarkey on you. A sudden realization floods over you as you become more aware of your surroundings. It’s gotten pretty late and Dream still isn’t back. He doesn’t usually stay out all day, but sometimes it does happen. You decide it’d be best to take a break from reading.. at least for now. Placing the rune covered bookmark Dream got you between the pages, you shut the book and carefully put it in your inventory. Your body feels stiff from not moving for what must have been hours. Swinging your lower half over the edge, you catch your boots on the trunk and slowly slide down. Once your feet touch the ground, you walk a little away from the tree and stretch. 

You’re midway through a yawn when a weird smell catches your nose. Is someone.. cooking something?? You turn to the village only to see smoke rising in the distance.

“What the..”

You stand there for a bit, not quite sure what to do, until loud voices cut through the air. They sound panicked. You look around but Dream still isn’t here. What should you-

Your train of thought is cut off by a particularly horrifying scream. Without thinking, you’re already past the fence and running down the street. 

-What are you doing?-

‘Honestly? No idea!’

-These people are of no concern to us-

‘I can’t just ignore it! Did you hear that scream?? Something’s wrong!’

-And? They’ve been nothing but a thorn in our side since the day they arrived-

‘I don’t care! Just because I’ve suffered doesn’t mean others have to as well!’

You cut a sharp left and keep running. You must be getting close, you can already feel the blistering heat on your person. Worry creases your face. Is a whole building on fire or something?? Yes. The answer is yes apparently. The sun is down but everything is clear under burning light. Dozens of villagers stand in a crowd, faces either downcast or horror stricken. Loud screams of anguish pierce all who hear it. You don’t hesitate to burst through the people in your way. The scene before you is clearly painted. A small two story cottage is covered by violent flames; not one inch of the structure is spared. The source of the screams comes from outside the building, however. A rock monster struggles to keep someone still as another with green glowing hands tries to console the man. 

“Mr. please hold still! If I don’t heal what’s left of your arm, you’re likely to dust on the spot!”

“I DON’T CARE! LET ME GO! DON’T YOU PEOPLE UNDERSTAND?!? THEY’RE GOING TO DIE IN THERE!!”

Blue fur is matted at every end. You can only see one eye as the other is covered by a thick layer of dust and ash. His right arm is held down while the healer does their best to mend where his left used to be. That.. that must be..

“Neil??”

“LET ME GO!! DAMMIT!! THEY’RE STILL IN THERE!!!”

His screeching brings you back to the present. This must be when Neil lost his family to that house fire! Which means! You don’t finish the thought before all but ripping your cape off and wrapping it around your face. You rush past the group before running up to the open door and jumping over the flames. As if on auto pilot you dodge the fire and charred wood that’s fallen to the floor. The smoke is so thick you can barely see. 

“HELLO?!? IF YOU CAN HEAR ME I NEED YOU TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE-“

Your voice gets a little raspy at the end before you break off into a coughing fit. What the hell?? You don’t even have lungs; just what kind of fire is this?? 

“O- ver here”

Ignoring the burning feeling in your insides, you leap over a fallen plank and dash in the voices direction. Just under the staircase you can barely make out a figure huddled in the corner. You run over to her quickly. You can’t afford to waste time; this place is coming down any second now. 

“Mrs. Mrs. Can you hear me?”

Her eyes open and close sluggishly. Her arms hold a bundle of cloth close to her person. A tiny hand peaks out of the blanket and grips the front of her shirt. 

“Ma’am I need you to stay awake! We need to get you out of here!”

“B ack door...”

Shit. She must have inhaled too much smoke. A splintered board brakes loose and falls from the ceiling. You grasp her by the shoulders and move the two just in time to not get hit. Flames crawl up the walls and along the burnt floor. A quick look back let’s you know that you can’t get out the way you came in. Ok. Ok. Back door. She said there was a back door. You try to lift her up as much as possible, while being mindful of the little one in her arms. She leans heavily on you as you start to steer her through the smoke.

“Alright, I need you to tell me where the back door is”

A shaking arm, less sturdy than the one that holds the bundle, points towards a doorway. It must lead to the back section of the cottage. Grunting, you secure a tighter hold on the cat monster and make your way to the opening. You want to move more quickly, but the added weight keeps you from doing so. If you try to start running, she might lose her balance and you could drop her. A silent cheer rings out in your head as you pass through the doorway. Almost there. You can’t see anything; the smoke is much thicker here. The weight resting against you starts to gets heavier.

“Hey don’t pass out on me! Just hold on for a little longer! I just need-“

You don’t get to finish your statement when half the ceiling collapses. The second floor rubble just barely misses you.

“Shit”

But now you have a new problem. The wood that fell brought the fire with it. The path to the back door is blocked and the flames are spreading on both sides. 

What do you do?

What do you do??

A sickening creak can be heard just above you. Within a blink, the entire second floor seems to fall into itself. Wood bends, splinters, and burns as everything folds into the blazing inferno. Crash after crash. Windows shatter; walls crumble.

In the end there is nothing left but rubble, smoke, and silence.

...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no!  
> To be continued!
> 
> Fun little fact thing I guess, if you’ve been paying attention to the stats, Reader’s stats have gone up. I kinda headcannon that stats grow as someone gets older even if they haven’t done any training. That and since Nightmare and Dream were meant to be replacement guardians of sorts, their stats would be pretty high from the start.
> 
> Also! Main character line up so far! My friend came up with a design for Neil’s wife since we couldn’t find anything:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/190982618544


	13. Where’s the Fire: Part 2

Smoke and ash permeate through the air. The once raging fire now lays dormant under the burnt rubble, smothered by the very thing it destroyed. The magic of street lanterns is all that remains to light the crowded lane. Onlookers cough in the smoke once trapped in the cottage. Many of them still can’t believe their eyes.

“Did you see-?”

“Was that-?”

“How could-?”

“NAOMI!!”

In the midst of confusion, Neil brakes free of the rock monster’s hold on him. Before anyone can blink, the man is on his knees digging through the remnants of his home with the only arm he has left. His breathing is quick and labored. There’s a type of frightened panic in his eyes, a type that says he might have just lost everything. Nobody can bring themselves to move, to stop him, to tell him it’s too late. Eventually though, the sight becomes too much for the healer who moves past their rocky friend and goes to place a gentle hand on the shoulder of the frantic monster.

“Nei-“

“No!”

Neil swats their hand away, violent tears streaking down his face. He doesn’t want to hear what any of them have to say. Hands and fur covered in soot, he continues to dig, even as tears block his vision. The healer stands uselessly to the side. There is nothing more they can do for him. There is nothing anyone can do for him. From ash to wood chips Neil searches through the rubble on dirty knees. Eventually though, his limbs grow shaky, his movements turn sluggish. Placing his remaining hand on the scorched ground, Neil hunches over and allows the tears to fall.

...

On the other side of the wreckage, an ominous light begins to shine through. It starts out small before growing and growing. A few of the onlookers see the light and nudge those around them. The healer doesn’t hesitate to grab Neil’s attention and point to what’s happening. People lift their heads and stare in bewilderment as beams of purple pierce the darkness. Splintered wood cracks and hits the ground as the light emerges from underneath. The rubble falls around a bubble of purple energy.

You’re breathing hard, confused as to how you’re still breathing at all. Disbelieving, you look down at the now very much unconscious monster in your arms as well as the safe bundle she holds. You’re kneeling on the wreckage of a wooden floor yet surrounded by a bubble of purple magic. What? Suddenly the magic fades and the bubble is gone. Did- did you do that?? A stirring in your arms halts your train of thought and brings you back to reality. Swiftly, you turn your head in the direction of the baffled crowd.

“I need a healer over here!”

For second nobody moves, still trying to mentally catch up with the situation. Soon though, the now hopeful healer springs into action and runs over to you. 

“Shin, I need you to bring my bag!”

The rock monster, now known as Shin, moves to catch up with his smaller and more agile friend. You stay as still as possible while they make their way towards you. 

“Who all is injured? I need an evaluation”

“I think she passed out from inhaling too much smoke, but I’m not sure about..”

“Mmhn”

Both of you look down as the woman grunts and tries to open her eyes.

“Lou?”

Who?

“Naomi!”

What??

Suddenly a weight crashes into your shoulder and blue fur invades your vision. 

“Naomi! Naomi you’re ok! Oh thank stars I-“

Neil looks all over for serious injuries as his frantic rambling continues. You lean away as much as you can without dropping uh Naomi, yea Naomi’s her name, you guess. Neil gently reaches up to place his hand on the ever present bundle of blue cloth. Once again, a tiny hand peeks out, this time to grip one of Neil’s fingers.

“And Lou, you’re safe! Look at you”

Oh! So Lou is the baby’s name. Leapin leprechauns, you almost forgot about the baby. Though to be fair, kid hasn’t let out a sound this whole time. A polite cough interrupts the reunion. You and Neil look up at the healer and their friend now standing beside them.

“My apologies for cutting this short, but we really need to tend to them quickly”

“Yes, yes of course”

Neil, quite reluctantly, moves to give them space. Shin kneels down and motions for you to hand him Naomi. The smaller one asks Neil if they can carry Lou and does so after he gives a nod.

“It will be better if we tend to them in our tent. There are places to rest as well as healing items. Please, follow me.”

Unsure if they were talking to just Neil or both of you, you decide to follow anyway. At a brisk pace, your group maneuvers through the slowly dispersing crowd.

...

The tent looks more like a house made out of fabrics with the way it’s structured. You like the design though; it kinda reminds you of a pillow fort.. only bigger. At least it’s big enough to have separate rooms. Shin and Manny -the healer- took Naomi and Lou to one of the back rooms. Neil would have went in with them, but Manny was quick to kick him out. So now he’s just pacing back and forth in the main room, muttering to himself. You’re just.. sitting.. crisscross on one of the big cushions on the floor. As your adrenaline or whatever slowly wears off, your anxiety starts to flare up like crazy. Neil’s jittering actions certainly aren’t helping either. Maybe you should try to comfort him? It might help both of you calm the fuck down for one. But you probably shouldn’t say something about this situation or anything dumb. Alright, you’ve got this.

“This uh cushion.. sure is comfy”

Neil stops pacing and turns to you. Tense as hell, you just give him a stupid grin in return. Well, so much for the dumb part. Honestly, could fill up a room with the amount of stupid you’ve got. You’re so lost in thought you don’t notice when Neil takes a seat on the cushion next to you. Your head swerves to face him, expression full of surprise. You can’t help it. The only interaction you have with people, other than Dream or Miss Pim, is usually a fist to the face. 

“Thank you”

And just when you don’t think your eyes can get any wider, he goes and says that. Neil turns to you, a genuine smile on his face and eyebrows upturned.

“I mean it. If you hadn’t ran into that building I- I don’t want to think about what might have happened.”

You wince a little, knowing exactly what would have happened. 

“It.. only seemed like the right thing to do..”

You look down and fiddle with your sleeve. Honestly, you were kinda on autopilot the whole time. Looking back though your actions could probably be deemed heroic. You hold back a chuckle at that. The irony’s almost too much.

-especially considering it’s the complete opposite-

‘No. Shut up. Go away. I’m heroic as fuck.’

You frown and shake your head. Stupid melty octopus. Sheesh can’t even try to be modest with that guy around. A hand on your shoulder makes you jump only to relax when you see it’s Neil. 

“Still, it’s more than anyone else did. It’s certainly more than I was able to do..”

He looks down in a moment of frustration, a twinge of guilt shadows his gaze. 

“Don’t do that”

“Do what?”

“Feel guilty for something out of your control”

You stare at each other for a moment before he gives. He lets his arm drop in his lap before leaning back, smile on his face as he sighs.

“Alright, alright. I’ll stop feeling sorry for myself. You win”

“Good”

The conversation almost ends there, but you can’t help but ask. He obviously knows who you are. You mean come on! There’s only two skeletons in this whole village.

“Um, I know this might be weird to ask but.. aren’t you.. bothered by me?”

He turns and squints his eyes in confusion.

“Why in the cosmos would I be ‘bothered’ by you?”

“Well- it’s just that- people usually tend to be put off by the whole ‘guardian of negativity’ thing..”

“...”

“Kid, first off, I don’t really care about all that ‘apple’ business or whatever it is. Second, I literally just got done thanking you for saving my family’s life.”

You rub the back of you neck and bashfully look to the side.

“Heheh.. when you put it like that.. I guess my question would seem a little ridiculous..”

He just raises an eyebrow at you and squints his eyes even more.

“And what do you mean by ‘people are usually put off’?” 

Shit, did you say that? Well maybe not exactly but..

“Uh well I-“

Before you can say something coherent, however, the fabric covering the entrance to the back room opens up as Shin and Manny step out. You and Neil stand up, anxious to hear what they have to say.

“Both of them are fully healed and wide awake. If you’d like..”

Manny steps to the side and gestures for Neil to enter. He’s gone as soon as the words leave the other monster’s mouth. Once he’s left the healer turns to you and nods.

“If anyone asks, we will be right outside”

You nod back in confirmation as the two leave the tent. You’re about to sit back down on the cushion when a muffled voice comes from outside. It.. sounded like someone said your name? Bewildered, you take a step towards the front entrance. It doesn’t sound like Manny and you’re pretty sure Shin’s mute. All of a sudden the fabric of the ‘doorway’ is thrown aside so fast you lose balance and fall on your tailbone. The one who just came in looks around before spotting you on the floor.

“There you are!”

...

“Dream?”

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another cliff hanger!
> 
> Hng this was only supposed to be two parts but.... (o_o)
> 
> Also don’t worry if this chapter was a little short because haha the next one sure isn’t 
> 
> (Aaaaaaaaah more art!)
> 
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/611496732897968128


	14. Where’s the Fire: Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dream finally makes an appearance. It looks like he wants to talk about something,,

Dream walks over to you before grabbing your shoulders and hoisting you off the floor like it’s nothing. 

“Whoa! heheh, have you been lifting or- Oof!”

The other guardian completely ignores your wise crack as he pulls you in for a hug. You relax almost instantly. All the anxiety that had been building up softly melts away. Hell, you didn’t even realize just how stressed you were until now. Like clockwork you snake your arms under his as you smush your face into his shoulder. The whole house fire situation isn’t the only thing to blame for the stress though. This week’s been.. difficult. You’d honestly rather not think about it, like.. at all. Nope, you’d prefer to just forget everything and stay in Dream’s warm embrace for the rest of the night. 

The two of you stand there for awhile with only the sound of the flickering candle that burns in the corner. Eventually though, Dream pulls away to stand in front of you. His face is oddly expressionless, but you can tell there’s something bothering him. 

“I- are you ok?”

Ah fuck. That’s a loaded question.

“Some of the villagers were talking about a huge accident and something about you going to a healer’s tent.. I.. I just thought”

Oh. He’s referring to that. Ok, less loaded question.

“Don’t worry Dream I’m fine”

“.. you’re covered in soot”

You look down. So it would appear that you are indeed covered in soot. You rub the back of your neck as you lift your head up and give Dream a nervous smile.

“Heheh funny story..”

He frowns.

“Ok not really ‘funny’ but uh.. the good news is, everyone made it out ok! I mean sure the house collapsed-“

“A house collapsed?!?”

“Aaaaand everyone got out safely”

“Were you in there when it happened??”

“Uh”

“Night”

“Uuuuuhhhh”

“Nightmare”

“Well I- yea I went in, but I had a good reason!”

“Wait.. you went in? As in you went in while it was coming down??”

You open and close your mouth a few times, unsure if speaking anymore would be a wise decision on your part. So far you’ve just been digging yourself deeper and deeper into a hole with no ladder. Dream just let’s out a small sigh.

“Well.. I’m just glad that you’re ok”

He smiles and reaches over to lightly dust some of the ash off your sleeve. It doesn’t do much, but you appreciate the thoughtfulness anyway. 

“It’s a shame though. I could’ve sworn your bad luck had finally run off”

Oh yea.. your ‘bad luck’. You do your best not to express your discomfort outwardly. You don’t like lying; you especially don’t like lying to Dream. Before, whenever you ended up having a.. less than pleasant experience, you only had Dream to heal you. However, now thanks to the villagers giving Dream more treats than he knows what to do with, you basically have an endless supply of healing items. Is it terrible? Yes. Do you find it mildly amusing that the villagers have been, unknowingly, giving you a healing hand? Most definitely. This new situation has also helped you to avoid making up ridiculous stories whenever Dream asks how you got hurt. Now he doesn’t even know you’ve been hurt. ..He doesn’t need to know. You’re just glad you don’t have to lie to his face as much as you used to.

“Heh, yea me too. Who knows! Maybe it was just saving up”

“Does luck work like that?”

You shrug.

“Eh. I’m pretty sure it would actually be karma if that were the case”

“Then it can’t be that”

You look at Dream to ask what he means, only to get booped on the nose. He pulls his hand back and wags a pointed finger.

“There’s no way someone like you would have bad karma..”

Dream lets his hand fall to his side as he gives you a sincere smile.

“You’re a good person Night.”

You don’t know what to say. Is there anything to say to that? No response comes to mind, certainly not one that would do the declaration any justice. A smile crosses your face unbidden. Dream always sees the good in everything. Not in a naive or foolish way, just in a hopeful way. It’s like deep down he knows the best outcome and always strives to see it through. 

Dream pauses and looks down, tugging at his gloves in a reluctant manner. Now would be a good chance to bring up his worries. It’s been weighing on his conscience for a while, like a stone he’s forced himself to carry.

“..Um.. Night?”

“Hmm?”

“...Is everything ok? ..With you I mean..”

Dream’s trying hard to meet your eyes. His mannerisms are restless.

“It’s just.. well I know you don’t like it when I pry but.. I don’t know. You’ve just been so.. distant lately”

His eye lights surrender their fruitless mission and retreat to the floor.

“And I know I haven’t.. haven’t been around as much as I probably should. I know it worries you when I run off to help others.. but I worry about you too”

Gloved hands tighten into fists. Now more determined, bright yellow meets glowing lavender.

“I just want you to know, that I’m here for you. That if anything’s wrong, you can always tell me.”

“..”

“Dream-“

A fluttering sound catches your attention as you and your fellow guardian turn to see Neil exiting the back room. His posture is less frigid than it once was. Dark eyes spot you and Dream before the monster makes his way towards you.

“You must be Dream, haven’t officially met, the name’s Neil”

He reaches out to shake the other’s hand. Dream goes to do the same, a smile washing the serious expression off his face.

“Yep! That’s me, pleasure to meet you”

“Likewise”

The cat monster let’s go of Dream’s hand before sticking his own in his pockets and turning to you.

“I still can’t thank you enough”

“It’s no problem really”

Curious golden orbs bounce between the two of you. You wave Dream off and promise to tell him about it later.

“Still..”

Neil’s eyes drift to the tent’s main opening. 

“There’s.. something I need to take care of. If it’s not to much to ask, would you mind looking after Naomi and Lou for a bit?”

You look at Dream to find no objections. It’s not like you expected there to be any, but it’s always good to check. You guys are kinda supposed to be guarding a sacred tree. 

“You can count on us!”

You give Neil a grin and salute as you throw your other arm around Dream’s shoulders. The monster chuckles before thanking you and leaving the tent. Once he’s out of sight you remove yourself from Dream. He’s looking at you expectantly, the earlier conversation still not forgotten. Now it’s your turn to try and look him in the eyes.

“I- ..I’m fine, just.. I don’t know, I guess I’ve just been tired lately..”

“Is it because I’m not spending enough time at the tree?”

“Wha- no, Dream”

You reach out to take one of his hands in yours. None of this is his fault, and you’re not about to let him think that it is.

“Listen, I only worry when you stay gone for so long because.. I just don’t want you to wear yourself out. I know you like helping others, and that’s great! Really. ..It has nothing to do with the tree or you.”

“..Then will you at least tell me what IS making you so tired..?”

You falter, gaze wandering the tent as though it were looking for a way out. Fuck. How do you answer this? You need something that will make him drop the topic, at least for now. The other’s expression tells you he doesn’t plan on changing the subject that easily, however. Dammit, this is something you never plan on letting him know but..

“It’s nothing to worry about Dream, I- I’ll tell you some other time, ok?”

“Do you promise?”

..

“I promise”

You let go of his hand and sigh silently when he smiles, satisfied by your answer. The tent becomes more breathable as midnight air sneaks through colorful fabrics. Before you or Dream can say anything else, a soft whine can be heard from the back room. A stream of whispered hushes and humming follow soon after. The two of you look towards the source of the sound before looking back at each other. Dream’s eyes glow just a bit brighter.

“Is that a baby?”

“Yep.”

He fidgets with his gloves as his eye lights dance between the carpet floor and the fabric door. You try and fail to hide your amusement.

“Would you like to go see the baby?”

“Yes, I would like to go see the baby”

“Snrk”

Light cackles fall under your breath as Dream swats at you. Making your way to the back rooms entrance, you raise a hand and lightly knock on the wooden frame. A gentle voice rings out; you can’t quite place the accent.

“Come in”

Shyly, you part the curtain and step inside. This room’s smaller than the other one, not enough to feel suffocating but just enough to feel cozy. Turquoise magic twinkles like fireflies close to the ceiling. A small cot with a simple white sheet sits in the corner. Naomi looks much better than she did, dark magenta fur now void of ash. She continues to calmly rock the blue swaddled Lou in her arms, as she smiles and nods at you. 

“Sorry to disturb you, we just wanted to make sure you were alright”

You move to the side to allow Dream to move through the doorway.

“I’m guessing my husband asked you to keep an eye on us”

She’s clearly amused by the prospect and not at all surprised. 

“Heheh yea, but uh you seem to be feeling well”

It’s a relief, yet knowing what would of happened had you not acted still haunts you. It is.. difficult for you to process that there’s a reality where she doesn’t make it. You try to suppress a shiver.

“Yes.. that being said I must thank you. Neil told me what happened. There are no words for my gratitude...”

She trails off to look down at the little one now babbling quietly. Without realizing, you and Dream take a step forward out of curiosity. Naomi chuckles and motions for you to come closer. A hue of indigo surrounds lightly tanned fur. His eyes are round like his mother’s, yet dark like his father’s. The little fellow sticks his tongue out as he looks at you with equal curiosity. Stars, if that isn’t the most adorable sight.

“His name is Lou”

Naomi shifts a little so you can see him better.

“Hi there Lou”

Dream slowly moves his index finger where the little monster can see it. Lou doesn’t hesitate to reach out and grab it.

“Hehe he’s got a strong grip”

“Careful Dream, you might not get your finger back”

“Oh no”

He lightly tugs his hand back, not nearly enough to actually put up a fight. The hold on his finger doesn’t slacken. Dream looks at you, mirth painted on his expression.

“I think you might be right”

The two of you turn into a giggling mess while Naomi watches with motherly fondness. Night passes on as the three of you talk and keep each other company. For the first moment in a long time, you feel as though you’re finally on the right path.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaahhhhhggggg
> 
> Aaand that’s 3!! Yaaaay....
> 
> *\\(´ཀ`)/*
> 
> Next chapter’s still a work in progress, but it’s getting there 
> 
> And we now have refs for the main cast so far!:
> 
> Nightmare:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/612784953920569344/nightmare
> 
> Dream:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/612784984013586432/dream
> 
> Neil:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/612785007367503872/neil
> 
> Naomi:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/612785036550455296/naomi
> 
> Manny:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/612785109178908672/manny
> 
> Shin:  
> https://somebodyalreadytookthis2.tumblr.com/post/612785072606707712/shin


	15. Nyctophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being a good person isn’t easy.

-I can save you from this hell-

-It’s only going to get worse-

The only thing that’s getting ‘worse’ is your oncoming migraine. The sweet spring air and cradle of the tree branches do nothing to sooth you. Anxiously, you grasp your new notebook and magic pen in your hands. Dream had gifted them to you on your sixth birthday, and they’ve been serving you well so far. There isn’t much to say for the notebook; it’s parchment is bound in black leather. The fountain pen, however, writes words invisible to all but the author. You’d say it’s the best thing you’ve ever gotten. The notebook, or ‘Quest Log’ as you like to call it, mostly contains to-do lists, rules, and important information you think will come in handy. 

-Are you even listening to me-

“Well-“

You flip to one of the first pages with the title ‘What NOT to do’, and let your gaze fall on the fifth bullet point.

“As you can see here on page two, section one it says, and I quote ‘don’t listen to the voice in your head, he’s an asshole’ end quote.”

Barely suppressed rage creeps up your spine, but the silence that follows was worth it. Mindlessly, you read over some of the other ‘What NOT to do’ bullet points.

-Don’t touch the golden apples

-Don’t eat any of the apples 

-Don’t fuck up the first two rules

-Be gay, but don’t do crime (yet)

You snort at the last one before going back to the page you were previously on. Ah yes, the ‘To-do List’. There’s not a lot on it, and some of the things don’t even apply to today.

-Help Dream and Neil fix up the new cottage 

Luckily, there was already a cottage being built when the other one burnt down. It was far from finished at the time, but it’s been a few weeks since then. Neil says that once the plumbing is done it’ll be ok to work on the rest. That’s gonna take about another week though. Time to move on to the next three things.

-Finish reading ‘Our Fatal Soliloquy’

-Come up with a nickname for the voice in your head 

-Find Dream a birthday present (fucking late but do it anyway)

Ugh, you’ve been meaning to make time to read more. Maybe you can sneak a section or two in later. The second bullet point’s no good. You have pissed off the goop lord, and in retaliation he will most likely not speak with you. That just leaves the third one. You shift uncomfortably and look down, trying to see through freshly grown leaves. Well, there’s no pitchforks and torches waiting below so that’s good. You’re still not exactly sure when everything’s supposed to go to shit; you’re just glad it hasn’t happened yet. Taking a deep breath, you close your Quest Log and place it in your inventory along with the gold tipped pen. Time to go get Dream a gift. 

You jump down onto one of the lower branches and grasp it with your hands, so you can swing under it. Your feet dangle precariously above the ground before you allow yourself to drop. Getting up to stretch, you think about where to start first. Well right now Dream’s at the market place, so that’s a no-go. Guess that means you should check out the shops. You’re feet have already carried you past the white picket fence that borders your home and onto the main road. 

You and Dream don’t usually get each other material gifts, at least not anymore. There was a time that Dream had started bringing you all sorts of toys, nearly everyday. You cherished each and every one of them... but eventually you’re inventory couldn’t make the space to fit them all. Oh but you certainly tried to make them fit. However, when you’d go to shove a new trinket in, another one would shoot out. It was about the time that one of them almost took your head off, that Dream suggested he might have went overboard. Realizing just how many toys there were, you couldn’t help but ask how he got them. He,,, seemed reluctant to say. You didn’t push it then, but you should definitely ask about it later. It feels like you’re forgetting something; you just can’t put your finger on it.

Your mind continues to wonder as you pass by the ice seller and the butcher shop. The owners are standing next to one of the openings, most likely discussing deals of some sort. Monsters walking along the path steer clear of you. You’re too caught up in your thoughts to notice their weariness, though it’s not like you care anyway. You do, however, notice when a little mouse girl drops her stuffed toy. Your rampant thoughts come to an abrupt halt as you stop and look down. The plushie itself is also a mouse, sporting a heart shaped nose and two button eyes. Usually you don’t interact with anyone, and for good reason, though there are exceptions to this. Carefully, you lean down and pluck the tiny mouse off the cobbled street. Just ahead of you, a finely dressed lady holds the little girls hand as they walk. You hesitate for a moment before jogging up to them.

“Excuse me madam”

Madam? How formal. Looks like the villagers’ dialect has been rubbing off on you. The woman stops and turns to greet the one addressing her, yet at the sight of you she turns pale. The girl is pulled closer to her side as she stares down at you. Chest suddenly tight, you swallow nervously.

“I.. believe you dropped this”

Your voice is quieter now, but at least it’s still smooth. Shyly, you raise the stuffed mouse to be more visible. Blonde tufts of hair peek out from behind the lady’s arm, and the little girl’s eyes light up.

“Sir Mow!”

“Hush now Periwinkle”

The woman’s expression betrays her calm tone. She looks around nervously and, unconsciously, you follow her gaze. A few of the people around you are staring now. Geez, they’re not even trying to be subtle; don’t they know it’s rude to stare? The lady returns her gaze to you before glancing at the doll in your hand. Without saying a word, she snatches the stuffed mouse and turns to leave. 

“Come now little one, lets get you home”

You watch as she walks briskly down the way she had just come from, left hand pulling the little girl behind her and right hand gripping the doll. Sighing, you turn to continue down the path. Time seems to restart as everyone goes back to what they were doing. Well that was unnecessarily stressful. Stars, they act like you have the plague or something.

-Even after helping them, they still shun you-

‘Oh so we’re talking again, aren’t you still mad at me’

-And if I seem to recall correctly, you were the one against talking to me altogether-

You groan as you look through the window of a toy shop. That’s right, no talking to him. The rule was supposed to help ignore any future temptation. Unfortunately, this guy is probably the most persistent bastard in the multiverse.

‘Ugh fine! I’ll make an exception for today- on one condition’

-...-

‘We need to get you a nickname’

-No-

‘Bu-‘

-N O-

‘Dude, I need to call you something. Calling you The Voice was kinda cool and ominous at first, but now it’s just annoying. Also it’s on the to-do list’

...

‘Wow. Really mature of you, giving me the silent treatment AGAIN’

You sigh and drop the argument as the main plaza comes into view. As usual, it’s a busy place. Rambunctious chatter along with the aroma of a nearby candle shop fills the air. Monsters of all shapes and sizes scurry around, paying you no mind. Crowded areas aren’t really your scene so you decide to walk closer to the stores on your right. Window shoppings been a lost cause so far; maybe you should just swallow your anxiety and go in somewhere already. Bright, red wood frames a polished yet faded door; the carefully carved symbols on the plaque above indicate that it must be an antique store of some kind. After standing outside and weighing your diminishing list of options, you finally open the door. A small chime rings out as you step foot into the snug little shop. The lighting is dim, and a few of the shelves appear to be coated in a thin layer of dust. At least there doesn’t seem to be anyone else in here.

Avoiding where the store clerk most likely sits, you make your way to one of the back shelves. Violet eye lights roam over dusty and old trinkets. You see everything from lamps to jewelry, all with faded beauty and untold stories, yet none of which catch your eye. Casually, you stroll down one of the dimmer aisles. There are a few scrolls, nothing Dream would find interesting, he’s made his dread of reading very well known. The shelf just below holds many different mechanical devices. Most of them are clocks; others you’re more unsure of. You walk to the end of the aisle before spotting something odd. On the end of the shelf sits a golden music box. What makes it so peculiar is that it appears to be missing a few pieces. Curiously, you pluck the small trinket off the shelf to inspect it. The lid of the box is designed to allow the pin drum to be viewed even when the box is closed. However, the metal cylinder is completely bare of any markings. If it were to turn, it would make no noise. Lifting the box in hand, the outside shows no sign of a key in which to turn it. You sigh and go to set it back down, thinking it must just be unfinished. A small silver marking on the bottom of the box halts your movements, however. Bringing it closer, the symbol clearly reads as ‘flow’. Why flow? You stare in confusion for a bit before remembering a book you read about runes. Tinkers would often ingrain a flow symbol on their inventions to denote that it was powered by magic. A successful smirk crosses your face as you hold the music box in both hands. Monsters sure do love their puzzles.

Closing your eyes to focus, a coolness envelops your hands. The purple light that appears is almost immediately fueled into the music box. You look just in time to see violet markings appear on the pin drum as it begins to turn by itself. Slowly and softly, a melody is constructed from your own magic. The tune is.. familiar, and yet you’ve never heard it till now. 

Oh yea, you can’t not get this for Dream.

...

Feeling oddly chipper for once, you make your way down one of the main paths back to the tree. It’s already past midday, but the sun still brightly shines over the horizon. The few people still out pay you no mind as you walk home. Today was nice all things considered. You found the perfect gift for Dream and didn’t get too many problems from the store clerk when you bought it. The warm spring breeze follows you as you pass by an alleyway. Humming, your arms fold behind your head. Yep, today-

A strange noise stops you in your tracks. Swiftly, you turn to face behind you. 

...

...there it is again.

Slowly but surely, you make your way to the opening of the alley before being stopped again.

-What are you doing-

That’s a good question. What are you doing? Are you really about to ruin your perfect day by sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong? Because that’s probably what’s about to happen. Ignoring the voice in your head, you continue to walk into the alley.

-This is foolish, turn back NOW-

You can hear the noises more clearly. Harsh voices bounce off the walls of surrounding buildings. Though, you still can’t tell what they’re saying. The closer you get the more you can see where the alleyway opens up; it must lead all the way to the back of the buildings.

-Not listening to me will be your undoing-

‘Oh. And like listening to you wouldn’t be’

The voice grows silent, allowing you to hear the other voices as you peek around the back of the building. Old storage crates litter the patchy cobble ground. Behind a different building, a group of monsters stand huddled close to a wall. You recognize those jerks. Their names mean nothing to you, but a face is hard to forget. They’ve got to be at least three times your age, so probably in their late teens. Some have fur, others don’t. The more you look, the less defined their features become. It’s like the very sight of them makes you want to disconnect.

You’re about to turn back, not wanting to start something by accident, when one of them just has to open their dumb mouth.

“Listen kid, we wouldn’t even be in this situation if your folks kept quiet”

Kid? You turn back towards the corner and look closer. Sure enough there’s a boy, somewhere around your age, trapped between the wall behind him and the idiots in front of him. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! Just let me go home!”

Your fist tightens against the stone wall next to you as your teeth clench. A familiar nausea bubbles to the surface. No matter how many times you experience it, the cruelty of others never ceases to give you whiplash. For a moment you feel stuck. It’s as though you can no longer go forward or back. The voice still quietly urges you to leave, to *flee. But there’s something stronger. It’s the same feeling you got when seeing Neil’s house up in flames. The feeling urges you to do something,

to *act.

-

“Hey”

The group turns around sharply. It only took a few seconds to make it over to them. 

“The hell?”

You make eye contact with the kid just long enough to see the fear and confusion in his eyes. It makes you sick. The urge to do something more than just *act is quickly pushed down before it can fully emerge. The kid seems to snap out of his trance, now noticing that the groups focus has drifted elsewhere. Taking advantage of his new circumstances, he dodges under one of the monster’s arms and escapes down an alley.

“Hey!”

“Dammit!”

A few of them make a futile effort to catch him; the others continue to stare you down with shock and contempt. You’re so focused on making sure the kid made it out that you jolt when a fist grips the front of your cloak, tightening the cloth around your neck. Piercing eyes stare into your own with blatant malice.

“You! You did that on purpose didn’t you?? You damn freak!”

Hands already shaking, your throat feels tight, and not just due to the death grip this guy has on the front of your clothes. Swallowing your oncoming panic, you put on a faux grin.

“Picking on kids? I mean, not that it’s anything new but- hnk!”

The guy uses one hand to bunch up more of your cloak, effectively tightening its grip around your neck. It’s not suffocating but it certainly feels that way. Out of reflex, your hands shoot up to grasp his wrist as your feet struggle to reach the ground. Pain rushes through your midsection, further disorienting the scattered focus you tried to get back. You only realize his other fist is what knocked the wind out of you, after he’s dropped you on the ground.

‘Come on dammit’

You need to think. There’s got to be a way out of this.

-fight back-

-k i l l t h e m-

‘No!’

There has to be a better way. You don’t want to hurt anyone; you definitely don’t want to kill anyone. There’s got to be something, someway you can defend yourself-

‘Shield!’

Still hunched over on the ground, you put a hand out and try to summon your magic. 

. . .

But nothing happens.

You draw your hand back and look at it.

“Why isn’t worki-“

Rough hands take hold of your arms and rip you off the ground. The sting of frustration eats at you. The voice in your head is screaming for blood. The guy who hit you walks closer. None of this is helping the migraine you developed this morning.

“You know, I’m surprised”

The main asshole looks around for a second.

“Sorry, amused is the right word”

He steps forward and leers down at you.

“Since when did someone like you start getting the idea to act all heroic?”

A few of the other monsters laugh as though he’s made some sort of joke. Movement in the corner of your vision commands you to see what’s happening. It’s no use though, the grip on your arms keeps you from turning around.

“I guess we’re gonna have to remind you about where you belong”

Suddenly, your arms are pressed together as something winds around them. 

“Hey! What are you-“

“Shut up!”

You feel the rope get pulled taught before they finish tying it. The damn things so tight you can’t do anything but grit your teeth. 

“Should we get his feet too?”

“What do you think?”

Oh great, cause stars forbid you be showed mercy. At least you don’t have to make it easy for them. You kick out, more as a warning than anything else. It doesn’t really help; if anything you just pissed them off even more. They tie the rope so tight you can feel it cut into your ankles through the boots you have on. Yea, you definitely pissed them off. The two assholes griping your arms start dragging you across the ground. Once more, you try to summon your magic. If you could just do something, anything, then maybe they’d fuck off.

“So what do we do now?”

Alright, the idiot on your left knows as much as you do apparently.

“Well since teaching this freak a lesson hasn’t worked, I think he just needs time to,, think it over”

You glare up at the disgusting creature in front of you. A vile feeling crawls through your entire being. How could anyone be so hateful.

His face remains cruel as he walks over to one of the storage sheds kept behind the shops. Wait. A quick burst of magic breaks the lock. Your heels dig into the ground as the monsters pull you to the open door.

“Maybe some time alone will help you think for once”

“Hey wait don’t-“

Dust invades your senses as soon as you hit the wooden floor of the shed. Horrid laughter shrieks behind you before being muffled by the slam of the door. Immediately, you shoot up into a sitting position. The sound of laughter gradually fades as the voices walk further away. A futile attempt to stand is made before your body loses balance and crashes against the door. Damn thing doesn’t even budge. Did they fix the lock? 

“Hey! Let me out of here!”

Those bastards just left you. A nauseating dread has you feeling sick. A quick look around the shed reveals nothing. It’s too dark in here to see.

It’s,, really dark actually.

Beads of sweat run down the side of your face. The increased speed of your breathing goes unnoticed. Hurriedly, you push your body off the wooden door before slamming back into it with as much force as possible.

“Let me out of here!”

“LET ME OUT!!”

You ram into the door again and again, but it’s no use. Nobody’s around to help. Though it’s not like they would anyway.

-You called out for help

-But nobody came

-You called out for help, but nobody came

-youcalledoutforhelpbutnobodycame

-Y O U C A L L E D O U T F O R H E L P B U T N O B O D Y C A M E-

You reel back to slam yourself into the door again only to mess up and fall onto the floor. 

“H- dammit!”

Even with no light to see, you can tell that your vision’s blurry. Whether the tears are from fear or frustration is yet to be determined; though, it’s probably both.

-I tried to warn you-

And of course this asshole has to show up. Your day just wouldn’t be complete without someone there to kick you while you’re down. You try to silence a hiccuping sob before answering. Unfortunately, you never were a pretty crier, or a very silent one for that matter.

“Shut up. What? You want a prize or something?”

The words are meant to be bitting, yet they only sound pitiful with choking gasps breaking them up.

-I didn’t come to gloat-

“That’s- what it sounds like to me”

You choke back another sob. The last thing you need is to show this guy weakness. Instead of gazing into the shadowy confines of the shed, you screw your eyes shut and try to focus on breathing more smoothly.

-Do you really plan to evade what’s already been determined?-

“...”

-These creatures, do you really think they deserve your mercy?-

“Everyone deserves mercy-“

-Then why is it-

-That you’ve been denied the mercy of others?-

“...”

-Nothing to say?-

“..Sometimes.. people do cruel things, even when they know it’s wrong, or maybe because they think it’s right..”

-...-

“But I know it’s wrong, so I’m not giving in”

A grunt leaves your throat as you sit up once more.

“Even if the whole damn world became nothing but cruel, and I was the only one to offer mercy”

“I still wouldn’t give up”

Eyes a glaring violet, you wobbly stand on tied legs before ramming into the shed door.

You’ll never give up.

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy moly, this is the longest chapter so far (it wasn’t supposed to be but （ ; ; ）yea) 
> 
> Also don’t worry, I won’t leave nootnoot trapped in a shed for long 
> 
> Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter (a few of the scenes gave me trouble) but it was fun to write
> 
> Till next chapter when we start off somewhere else ∩^ω^∩

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know a lot about Dreamtale, but I definitely went digging for information while I wrote this. So I’m gonna try to center the story around what I do know. But, since there are gaps I’m gonna have to get a little creative and make some stuff up. That being said feel free to look up what is true about Dreamtale. The au was made by Joku and it’s really cool.


End file.
